prince&princess
by finaljoy
Summary: Kidnapping had never been a concern high on Alice's list of worries. She was the 'unimportant' second princess, useless when it came to the line of succession, unladylike and unable to charm anyone of importance. But when a questionable prince from a neighboring country sets his eye on her, Alice quickly learns that her priorities and worries need to be changed.
1. rara avis

**_AN Whoo, a new BloodxAlice fic! At the end of __'An Illusion Called Love', I said I wouldn't write another one, but then I finished the manga and just felt the NEED to write more BloodxAlice stuff XD Plus, I talked to a lot of you, and I just...I needed to do this. So enjoy!_**

**_Please note that this is a rewrite of the first chapter (if any of you are going back to read it for some reason). I don't know what happened, but the first chapter was replaced with the second, and I had to mad-dash it to get this out before there was too much confusion XP And thank you to the anon who brought it to my attention; I never would have noticed.  
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Alice looked out the dark window, feeling the early summer breeze wash over her face. It tasted sharp, like water and pines, and she knew that a storm was blowing out of the mountains. She liked the summer, it was so full of happiness and promise and made her feel like she could do anything. Looking out beyond the castle wall, she imagined herself bounding over the green slopes and climbing the mountains beyond, free from her duties as a princess and the criticisms from the nobles.

Ever since she had been a child, Alice had been looked down upon by the nobles that passed through the castle. She hadn't realized it until a few years ago, and then the comments stung with a cruelness she didn't understand. Why was she the target of such dislike, what had she done? Granted, she was the second princess, the _lesser_ princess, she thought bitterly to herself, when compared to her sister, Lorina.

Lorina was everything a princess should be. Kind, beautiful, elegant, understanding, thoughtful, intelligent...if Lorina had not been so amazingly _good_, Alice truly thought she might have hated her. But it wasn't Lorina's fault that the nobles were mean people. She had never once displayed a desire for such harsh treatment of Alice, and even scolded those she caught doing it, but still, Alice found it so easy to blame her for her troubles.

"Alice, are you alright?"

Alice turned, forcing a smile onto her face as she looked at her sister, who seemed to have been summoned by Alice's thoughts.

"Oh, yes, I suppose I'm fine now."

"Oh, good. I was worried when you walked out on the meeting."

Alice flushed, glad that the torches scattered along the corridor weren't bright enough to show her sister. That was probably something that counted against Alice, in the nobles' eyes. She was impatient, sarcastic and spoke her mind. She was kind, but her kindness tended to lean more towards the peasants than to her own, which was found to be distasteful by those of the upper class. But it had gained her the love of the commoners, which did offer some comfort, if only a little.

Earlier that evening, Alice and the rest of her family had been in a meeting with several courtiers about the arrangements for some event, but Alice had lost her temper, snapped at the people talking and stalked out. She was incredibly embarrassed, thinking on it now, but in the heat of the moment, she could only think about getting _away_ from those stuffy, self-serving aristocrats.

"Don't worry about me, Lorina. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She smiled at her sister, who smiled back. Lorina brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, turning her gaze out the window.

"Linden's coming tomorrow," she said softly, and Alice felt a spike of anxiety at the thought. Linden was an archduke of a neighboring country, and was also Lorina's fiance. He was a tall, handsome man who was kind and intelligent, though he didn't suffer fools gladly, and was perfectly willing to let them know with a few sharp words. Alice had met him two year before, and it hadn't taken much for her to fall head over heels in love with him. He was everything a person could ever want in a man, and he had always been so wonderful to Alice, no matter what nasty comments were said about her. That kindness though, had tricked Alice into thinking that he felt the exact same towards her.

It had happened several months ago, at a party. He had been walking with Alice in the gardens, when she practically tossed her soul at him, nearly confessing her feelings towards him. She had stopped though, as her father had come to Linden and said that it was time for him to make his announcement. Alice had wondered what her father had meant, until Linden went over to stand by Lorina, claimed everyone's attention and announced that he and Lorina were engaged.

It had shattered Alice's heart to stand there, clapping and smiling as she watched her beloved sister, hand in hand with her beloved Linden. It was even worse to have her father wrap his arm around her shoulders, laughing and asking Alice weren't think _wonderful_ now? The absolute worst bit, however, was seeing Linden turn his eyes to her, giving her a quiet apology. He had known exactly what she was about to say, and was sorry that he had hurt her. Not sorry that he was marrying her sister, but sorry for being the cause of Alice's pain.

She had told no one about her feelings. No one but Linden knew what had happened that night, and she was determined to keep it that way until she was dead in the ground, at the very least. Lorina especially had no notion, laughing and gushing over wedding arrangements and asking Alice's opinion on things, when Alice really just wanted to drown herself. But she kept up the bright front, smiling and nodding and assuming a cool, amused air about the whole thing, like she couldn't believe how silly Lorina was being. She acted the same way around Linden, though she did absolutely everything in her power not to be in close proximity with the two.

"Really?" she asked, and Lorina nodded.

"Yes, mother has arranged us to have lunch with him. And afterwards, oh Alice, he asked me to meet him in the gardens afterwards!" Lorina whispered the last bit, sounding absolutely ecstatic while her younger sister made a mental note to avoid the gardens like the plague the next day.

"How scandalous," she said, raising a mocking eyebrow. She knew very well that neither Lorina nor Linden would even consider doing something improper with each other, especially before wedlock.

"I just...sometimes I can hardly believe I'm an engaged woman!" Lorina continued, and Alice desperately wished she could be alone.

"Neither can I," she said vaguely, then said "I'm feeling a little tired. I'll see you tomorrow!"

She flashed Lorina a bright smile before turning on her heel and stalking to her room, pursing her lips at Lorina's goodnight. When she entered her room, she rang for a maid. One came within a few minutes, and helped Alice get ready for bed. While she was changing, Alice found herself snapping at the woman, unable to contain her foul mood to just her mind.

"I'm sorry," she said while the maid turned down her bed, "I didn't mean to be so cross, honest."

"Of course, m'lady," the maid said, expression remaining utterly blank. Alice climbed in bed as the maid blew out the candles and turned down the lamps, wishing for sleep. In the time it took for her to get ready, it had started to rain. The sound of it splattering against her window soothed her, lulling her to sleep.

Alice awoke sometime later, blurry with sleep. The rain had bloomed into a full fledged storm, that howled and pounded her window. A figure stood at the other end of her room, and Alice demanded who it was, voice rough with sleep.

"Just me, m'lady. I was checking your window to make sure the storm didn't blow it open," said the maid, and Alice nodded, falling back against her pillows. She snuggled back into her blankets, drifting back to sleep until a hand clamped over her mouth.

Alice's eyes snapped open, allowing her to stare into the faces of two identical boys. They grinned at her, hair and faces wet.

"Shhhh, princess. We don't want any trouble coming to you," one of them said, and Alice struggled, trying to break free. Hands grabbed her wrists and a knife was slapped against her throat, making the breath catch in her chest.

"You keep moving, and our hands might slip!" the other one said, shaking his head. "Boss told us not to hurt you, but we will if it makes it easier to take you with us!"

Alice laid there, petrified as one of the boys tied her hands, seeming chipper as could be. The other one, called Dee, tried putting a gag on her, but a hand stopped him.

"What are you doing?" a cold voice asked, and the three of them turned their heads to stare at a tall man, glowering at the boys.

Joyous hope shot through her chest as Alice recognized Peter White, the Prime Minister of a neighboring country called Artlind. She had only met him a handful of times, but he'd always been happy and ready to help her with anything. Surely he'd be able to stop these dreadful boys.

"We're gagging her," one of them said, and Peter rolled his eyes, stalking towards them. He was dressed in a dark suit, covered by a dark crimson cloak, and he seemed just as wet as the boys. Her gaze flicked behind them to look at the window, which was open, curtains billowing in the wind. Rain was soaking the carpet, and Alice felt a horrible jolt in her stomach.

Had they come through the window? And was the Prime Minister a part of all of this?

He grabbed Alice by the shoulder, making her sit up, though he was considerably more gentle than the two boys had been.

"She doesn't need to be _gagged_, you savages," he spat to the boys, though he kept his hand over her mouth. The boys, twins, she guessed, looked like they were about twelve. They scowled at Peter's back, and Alice head spun as everything crashed over her.

She was being kidnapped, and Peter was in on it. These boys, these _children,_ they were carrying out the dirty work of adults and seemed perfectly content in the thought of harming her to get the job done.

"Stay quiet, Princess," Peter said, voice soft. "You won't be hurt so long as you don't struggle and don't try to alert anyone. I promise."

Alice glared at him, tears spilling over as he pulled his hand away. The twin holding the knife grinned at her, and added "But if you do, we won't be troubled by taking off a pinky or two. Boss won't care about those, they're not important!"

"_Don't_ touch her," Peter snarled, pulling Alice up. "_Why_ His Highness ever said I had to bring you is beyond me..."

The door opened, and Alice's maid stepped in, and again she felt a leap of hope that the woman would try screaming, at the very least. She looked at the three men in the room, and there was no surprise at seeing them.

"Hurry," she hissed, "the guards will be coming back any second."

Peter nodding, pulling out a gun and dragging Alice to the window by her arm.

"Noted. Twins, you go first," he said, gesturing at the window. The Twins bounding over the sill and onto the tree outside, grinning like this was great good fun. Alice strained against Peter's hold, and he pinned her with a hard look.

"Princess, if you struggle while on the tree, I can not guarantee your safety. For your sake, do as I say." Alice nodded, shaking with tears as the rain hit her night dress, and she wanted to fall down and start sobbing. The maid stepped forward, looking frantic.

"Hey, White! Where's my payment? His Highness said I'd get it before you took her! Do you realize how tough it's going to be, lying as they interrogate me?"

"Alright, alright," Peter snapped, sounding irritated. He bent his head like he was searching his pocket, then shot the woman in the head. Alice gasped, choking on her own horror as she watched the woman crumple to the floor. Peter seemed utterly unfazed as turned away from her, stepping onto the window sill.

"You _killed_ her," Alice squeaked, listening to voices erupt all over the castle. It was like Peter had just kicked an anthill, lights popping into existence, people scurrying about and calling every which way, trying to figure out just where the gun shot had come from.

"Yes, Princess, I did. She was a loose end that was just cut. Now, come on!" By this time he was already crouched on a tree branch, gesturing for Alice to come. She was tempted to turn and run, start screaming and slam the window on him, but his intense red eyes told her that this was her only choice. Alice didn't know what made him so confident, but she was sure she didn't want to find out.

Alice took a tentative step, and climbed out onto the branch, shaking from fear. Peter's hand was there to steady her, but Alice was so slow that he finally carried her, Alice's arms around his neck and his hand supporting her back. When they reached the ground they paused, Peter and the Twin's eyes on the nearest watch tower.

"_Go,_" Peter hissed in her ear, giving her a rough push. Alice stumbled but began running, fighting against seemingly everything in the world. Mud grabbed at her feet and making her trip, rain tried to drown her where she stood and the wind smashed into her again and again and again, first shoving her in front, then catapulting her forwards. Her nightgown also slowed her down, and not really caring at this point, grabbed it in her bound hands so she could run freely.

After what seemed like a long, dark and miserable lifetime, they reached the far wall. The Twin she thought was called Dee slit her ropes and shouted "Don't try anything funny, or we'll throw a dagger in your back!", hardly audible over the storm. She stared at him, not sure if she was sobbing or just gasping for breath, and shook her head. What kind of _monsters_ were these people?

Dee grinned and turned her so she faced a rope ladder, and Alice almost stopped then. Why was she being forced to do this, what importance was she?

Still, she shakily put out her hands and started climbing, not caring that the Twins could see up her nightgown and just praying that her legs wouldn't give out. She would either fall to her death or end up with a knife in her back, which were both things she desperately wanted to avoid.

Peter was already a good ways up, nearly at the top, and Alice took rung after rung after rung, feeling the sickening sway of the rope as she went higher and higher. When she next glanced up, he was gone, and with relief she realized that she must be close to the top. Alice took a deep breath and kept going, climbing, climbing, climbing, until, with a sickening swoop, her hand felt no more wall and she flailed blindly, trying to regain her balance.

With a distraught sob, she realized that she wasn't done yet, she still had the other half to climb down. Numb to everything now, she climbed down, trying not to bruise her feet any more than she already had. Alice staggered when her feet hit the ground, whimpering from the sting of rocks slicing the soles of her feet. She may have been shaking from cold, but the rocks felt like matchsticks on her feet.

Peter was there in an instant, helping her to the carriage. Alice looked up to see lanterns bobbing along the wall, and one paused over the rope she and the others had climbed, and then the rope was dropping to the ground, cut from its hold.

Alice turned to see a carriage, looming out of the darkness, and then Peter was opening it and pushing her inside. The Twins were running up behind, hissing "Go, go, start moving!" The horses were whipped just as the boys hopped in, slamming the door shut. The carriage clattered and rocked as the horses started galloping, and Alice stayed curled in the corner she had claimed. Peter sat beside her, apparently not trusting Dee or Dum to leave her alone for the ride.

"Where are we going?" she asked weakly, and Peter's turned to look at her.

"We're taking you to see the Boss!" Dee exclaimed, earning a withering look from Peter.

"We're going to Artlind, Alice," he said softly, and she suppressed a sob.

_Artlind? _That was just about the worst thing he could have told her. Artlind was a rather infamous country to the southwest of Underlen, Alice's own country. There were terrible rumors about deaths a disappearances, and stories of the royalty being thoroughly insane. Was she being taken to these people, or was it some other organization, like the mafia? Fear spun in her belly, and she wished she was back in her bed, warm, safe, and brooding on senseless, silly things like her sister's upcoming wedding.

"_Why_? What good am I?" she demanded, but Peter didn't answer.

Alice tucked her feet against her chest, staring at barely visible floor of the carriage until she fell asleep.

When she awoke, she felt sore and miserable. Dum beamed at her and pulled open the door, letting in frightfully bright sunlight. Alice winced and covered her eyes, having been used to the darkness the curtains in the carriage had provided. She shakily stood, shuffling to the door and allowing one of the Twins to take her hand. She got out and stared at the beautiful palace before her, feeling this was some cruel trick.

"Alright, Princess! Welcome to Heart Palace!"

_**AN oh my gosh it's done. I JUST...I JUST HAVE SO MANY FEELS FOR THIS, AND IT'S ONLY THE FIRST CHAPTER (even though I had to write it again from a very poor memory orz).**_

_**But, I just...I'm so excited! And you'll all have to thank the lovely Mi-chan, who said 'Just, please, for the sake of me, the other, MANY reviewers that you have, and finally Heart no Kuni no Alice. Make another story.'**_**  
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	2. un jeu d'échecs

**_AN Ahahaha, this chapter was so clunky to get out! It would have been faster (had I not been kind of later) if I knew exactly what I wanted, but...I didn't. OTL Oh, and as a note, Underlen is Alice's country, while Artlind in a small neighboring one, similar in size to France and Switzerland respectively.  
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Alice was lead up the walk by the Twins, and she had a slight sinking feeling. She was going to be...what, locked in a cell? Confined for who knew how long? Or was she going to meet this 'boss' person, who she now guessed was a prince? If she was going to meet him, Alice hardly felt good about the state of her appearance.

She was still a little damp from the night before, and had mud and grass splattered on the lower half of her nightgown from her jaunt to the wall. Her hair was windblown and she ached all over. How was she expected to go before the mastermind of her kidnapping?

Swallowing, she tried to square her shoulders. Before her was the royal castle of Artlind, nicknamed Heart Palace, and, more pressing, the worrisome prince who had ordered her kidnap. What did he need her for? A ransom? A threat against her father, or was it something else entirely?

"Oh hey, we should get her inside so the maids can go get her fixed up!" Dum said, grabbing her hand so that she stumbled across the white gravel, abusing her feet even more. When she got inside, a flock of maids descended upon her, chattering and carried her away to the inner parts of the castle.

Alice felt completely bemused as she was prepped, given sweet smelling soaps and sponges to wash with and then decked out in a dress made of lace and rich fabrics. Why were they suddenly being so gracious to her?

The maids talked continuously while they worked on her, commenting on her great figure, her beautiful hair, her gorgeous eyes. Every time a compliment about her beauty was thrown at her, she thought of Lorina, and just how much she wanted to go home.

"Why am I being dressed up?" Alice asked once, and a plain faced maid looked at her strangely, then laughed a little.

"Why, princess, you don't expect us to deliver you to the prince looking like a mess, do you?" The woman ducked behind Alice, tying up the back of her dress. A new maid, one with light colored hair took up her place in the conversation.

"He put a lot of effort into this! He'll get angry if it looks like don't care."

Alice frowned, sensing the darker under current to the girl's words. So it was the prince, and mostly likely the 'mad' one, the way her luck was going. But her words...they unsettled Alice. Did she mean that this prince would fly into a temper if they didn't make her pretty? And what would he do to them if they failed to please him?

Finally, after they did up her hair and helped her into a pair of shoes that didn't hurt her feet _too_ much, the women released Alice into the custody of a butler. There wasn't much special about him, like with the maids, he had a face that could easily slip out of Alice's head. He was quiet, which was a nice change from the maids, but Alice still felt wary. She didn't think anyone could really be trusted in this palace.

"Uhm...this...ah, prince I'm being taken to...who is he?" She felt a little embarrassed that she knew so little about this man, despite him being a prince. But the Artlind royalty was a rather secretive lot, she reasoned, which made her feel a _little _better, then quite a bit worse as she remembered that secretive royal families had rather awful skeletons in the closet.

_The Artlind royalty probably has a rather huge closet, to boot,_ Alice thought dismally, then sighed.

"The prince?" the butler asked after a pause, and then he shrugged, like he didn't want to say anything. "He's...ah, well. You can discover that shortly, m'lady."

"Alice," she said, suddenly so sick of the constant 'm'lady's and 'princess's. She wanted to stop being 'the princess' and start being a person with a name. Was that too much for her to ask?

The butler bowed, murmuring something to her, and Alice realized they had stopped in front of an ornate door. She looked at him worriedly, and he pushed the doors open, announcing her presence. Silencing the mental screams of terror, she set her shoulders and walked in.

The room was large, about the size of a ballroom, though she got the impression that this was a room for banquets and conferences. She glanced around, and saw a tall man standing near one of the numerous large windows. He had messy black hair, a slightly mocking smile, and the stance of someone all too confident with themselves. And, Alice noted this with some dismay, he was rather handsome. He probably would have looked better to her if he hadn't orchestrated her abduction, Alice thought distantly, then almost laughed at herself.

He nodded at her, and she dropped a small curtsey.

"Well, finally, we meet."

Alice stared at him, a slight smile of disbelief on her face.

That was it? After all Alice been through because of him, being stolen through a window, forced to run and climb and get into shady carriages at the threat of being cut into and stabbed and mutilated, and then preened like a show dog just so he wouldn't have to look at what he'd_ made_ her, a bedraggled creature who hurt and was covered in mud and leaves and looked terrified and hopeless and just wanted to go _home, _after all _that,_ all he had to say was 'Well, finally, we meet'?

All of Alice's fear was shoved to her feet, replaced instead with a fury that she just barely managed to keep in check. Alice gave him her most charming smile, and took a breath.

"Well, I expect that if you were so anxious to see me, you would have stolen me yourself." He raised his eyebrows, then chuckled a little.

"I suppose you would be right," he said casually, as if they were playing chess and she had just advised him on a move. The prince strode forward and bowed over her hand. Alice pulled it back before he had a chance to kiss it.

"I normally would have, only it would have been unwise for me to wander so far away from home."

"Oh yes, when you can't do the job yourself, send in sadistic little _monsters_." The scorn was only too noticeable in her voice, and she felt a savage pleasure that he could hear what she really thought of him. His smile seemed to get ten shades colder, and then Alice remembered his title as 'mad'.

"Excuse me, I've been horrendously uncivil to you. I am Blood Dupre, Prince of Artlind." He bowed again, and Alice felt a small wave of...fear as she heard the warning in his voice.

_Do not play with me, little girl. I can do so many things to you, and you wouldn't even have the time to **scream.**_

"I think you know who I am, considering that you made such elaborate plans to have me snatched out a window." It was the kind of moment that made Alice sick with regret. Not even a moment had passed and she was already hopelessly wishing she'd kept them inside. Blood's smile was more of a sneer, and his hands had curled into fists. She fully expected for him to hit her, but to her surprise, his hands stretched back open, though they were still tense.

"M'lady...do you realize what a _valuable_ position you are in?" he asked, and she stared at him, wonderingly. Was he referring to her being there, or having the _honor_ of being kidnapped by the prince of Artlind? She remained silent, and he continued.

"This is the only warning you shall get," he murmured, leaning in, taking hold on her face, so that she was forced to look at him. "I have gone through a lot of trouble to retrieve you, and am doing my best not to _waste it all._ But, if you _push_ me, I highly doubt I'll be able to keep restraining myself."

Alice stumbled back, knocking his hand away and letting her eyes drop. The sheer amount of disdain and savagery in his voice scared her, and she felt her hot confidence dripping away into a pathetic fear.

"Why are you even bothering to keep me alive?" she managed to choke out, still not daring to look him in the face. Those eyes...those horrible, cold eyes...they cut her to the soul. "If you're going to ransom me, why not just do away with me and still collect the money? I'm of no value, I can't do anything."

Alice jerked her eyes up to him when he laughed, and again she thought she was starting to see just which type of mad this man was. He nodded, putting a hand on his hip, as if approving of her wit.

"That's very good, now you've gone and surpassed my expectations, Princess. Clever _and_ brave, that's a rare combination of women of status. But, for such a smart lady, you do manage to disappoint, just a bit."

"And...and how's that?"

"Oh, _my lady,_" he said, drawing the words out, "you can't possibly think that I'm merely going to _ransom_ you. No, I have much_...bigger_ plans."

"What are they, Prince?"

But he raised a hand, face turning irritated.

"Don't call me 'Prince'," he snapped, and she frowned, confused by this sudden change.

"Alright...but then you can't call me 'Princess', or anything like that." He cocked his head, nodding a little as if accepting the terms of this bargain.

"Well, I assume we'll be stuck using each other's names, then, _Alice._ How does that sound?" She made a contemptuous noise, thinking that if her opinion matter to him so much, then she should have been consulted before her kidnap.

"It'll do."

Blood smiled at her, and turned away, an obvious dismissal. With his eyes finally off her, Alice could actually take a few breaths. She glanced around and took a step, as if waiting for someone to come charging out of one of the other sets of doors, but when no one did she hurried out of the room.

Alice closed the doors behind her, slumping against them. This prince, this beautiful, _insane_ prince...In the course of three minutes, he'd threatened her life twice and displayed just how unbalanced he was. Alice thought of how easily he'd switched from polite mockery to cold threats then to approval and then irritation at her formality, and shuddered a little bit. It wasn't the reactions of a a normal person, she thought. He most _certainly_ was crazy.

A throat was cleared next to her, and Alice looked around, alarmed, only to find the butler from before standing at attention by the doors.

"Excuse me, m'l-Alice," he said, and she noticed that he was trying to keep to her wishes in using her name, "if you're ready, I can escort you to your rooms..."

"Ah, y-yes, yes please." He bowed and gestured with a hand.

"If you'll follow me..."

They started walking down a hall, and Alice noted how bright the palace was. It was all light golds and whites and pale creams, amplifying the light coming through the large floor to ceiling windows.

"Do you...ah, do you know...why I was kidnapped?" Alice asked, voice getting quiet at the end as if she was embarrassed at having to ask. The butler looked back at her, then sighed a little.

"I'm not sure, m'lady," the butler said, seemingly unable to refrain from reverting to the proper way of addressing her. "There has been...some talk. The Prince seems to be getting agitated, something's going to happen."

"Does he...always get agitated?" Alice asked warily, frowning a little.

"Well, he's a restless man, the Prince. The mafia's not had any business lately-"

"The mafia?"

"Yes, Princess Alice. Artlind's royalty has always been closely connected with the mafia. It's a strategic advantage."

"Oh...so is he the one who conducts business with them, or-"

"Conducts business with them? No ma'am, he _runs_ the business. The Prince is the _leader_ of the mafia." The butler laughed a little at the question, and Alice felt sick again. So this insane man was also the leader of an underground and dangerous organization? Wonderful.

The butler caught sight of her face, then nodded.

"Yes, m'lady, there's always been at least one of the royal family running the mafia. But that's a well kept secret, the other countries can't ever hear of it."

"Then why tell me?" asked Alice, a little confused. She _was_ the princess of Underlen.

"Because you'll hear it somewhere else," he said, shrugging a little. "And, A-Alice," he stumbled on using just her first name a little, "Prince Blood is never going to let you get back to your country Underlen. Not ever."

Alice gave a slow, shaky nod, and he stopped by another pair of doors.

"Here we are, ma'am. Your quarters should be to your liking, they are one of the finest in the palace. Ring the bell if you need anything." He opened the doors for Alice and bowed, then walked away.

Alice walked in, and found her rooms to have the same light, calm coloring as the rest of the building, which suddenly started her laughing. She fell back on the doors, making them thud shut, so that she was again leaning against them.

Here she was, trapped in a terrible place, where the mafia was part of the royal family and insane princes threatened her life one second and then was congratulating her on her wit the next, yet the whole place was light and airy and telling her that it was alright and that she should just relax! The irony of it made Alice start laughing, and this time, she couldn't stop.

She slumped there, laughing and hiccuping and then weeping because she was so scared and miserable and was pretty sure that she'd die from not being able to catch her breath. Alice fell to the ground, curling in on herself, and the hysteric mirth died away until she was simply sobbing, face pressed to her knees.

Eventually Alice just laid down, there, in front of the doors, thinking that, honestly, she'd prefer being dead to this.

**_AN BLEHLEBLEHLEBLEH. I enjoyed writing Alice fall apart, because I just love those awful kinds of things. _'' Her encounter with Blood though...I had to try a few times to get that one to work. I wanted screaming and yelling and 'OHMYGOSHIHATEYOUSOMUCH!'es but I couldn't let myself do that! They are royalty, they have to be civil (at first glance), plus he needs her and they haven't yet done enough to vex each other to that extent. Maybe soon though XD_**

**_Review, tell me what you think, your ideas for the story, your hopes and dreams and all that jazz._**


	3. ils sont tous fous

**_AN FFFFFFFFFF I DON'T THINK I CAN SEE STRAIGHT. I've been typing for so long this chapter's just turned to mush in my brain. I just-mmm. I don't even know what to say, I'm that drained. Just...just go read the story while I try to recover some sense._**

After a while, Alice managed to drag herself to the large bed, flopping down on it and somehow falling asleep. When she awoke, it was to find a maid at her bedside, one of the women who had helped dress her earlier. She smiled at Alice, brushing back a strand of pale blonde hair that had fallen into her face, and Alice gave her a sleepy smile.

"Good morning, m'lady," the maid said, turning and picking up a breakfast tray from a cart she had behind her. "Sleep well? Have any dreams?"

"No, I slept like a log," Alice groaned, sitting up and wincing. She was sore from the little adventure from the day before, both on the inside and the outside. Much as she hated to admit it, Blood's words still stung like they were nettles all rapped up inside her.

"Right," she said after a moment, "do I have...uhm...a schedule I need to stick to?"

"No ma'am. You are free to enjoy Heart Palace for a few days, become used to the lay out and the people, then you'll be put back into your usual life."

"My 'usual life' will never happen here," Alice said, voice hard. The maid looked at her a moment, surprised, then curtseyed.

"Of course, m'lady, I just meant your role as a princess. That's all." Alice gave a reluctant nod, and watched the maid leave. Once she was gone, Alice groaned and flopped back on her pillows, wanting to cry again. The back of her throat hurt, and she could feel herself on the edge of sobbing, but no tears would come. Think of that. Now her body was even betraying her.

Alice felt so tired, even though she'd slept for who knew how many hours. It was a struggle to open her eyes, and she really just wanted to go back to sleep, but the desperate hunger in her stomach kept stabbing her the moment she started dozing off. Grumbling, she sat up again, and pulled the tray on her lap.

She laughed a little, seeing eggs, sausages, juice, fruit, toast, milk, a small dish of butter and all sorts of other foods all stacked on it. A battle between her desire to cram the food in hand by hand and the manners engrained in her from childhood sprang up in Alice, and after a moment, her training won out. She picked up the fork like a lady, lifting a sausage to her mouth.

_Eating too fast can make me sick, anyways. And that's _not_ the thing I need just now,_ Alice thought once she was done, sighing and getting out of bed. She tugged the small bell pull by her bed, calling the maid to help her dress.

A new maid came, all bright smiles and chatter. She helped Alice into a light blue dress that fit her decently, all the time talking about how she loved the color, when the tailor would come to fit Alice for a new wardrobe, how the maid _loved_ getting new clothes, on and on until Alice thought she'd go deaf listening to the girl. Finally, she was done, and gave the girl a quick thank you, though she wasn't sure if she'd heard it or not.

"So...am I allowed to just...wander the castle alone?" Alice asked, somehow managed to get the maid to stop talking.

"Oh no, ma'am! Count March will be here to escort you soon! He's going to guide you all around the grounds, show you the ballrooms, the throne room, the meeting rooms, ah, I hope you'll be allowed to see all of the gardens, especially the rose garden! That's a special pet project of His Highness, he hardly lets anyone in there, but I think he'll let you in! You _are_ going to be h-"

"That's the door," Alice said, pointing as a knock sounded. The maid broke off as a guard outside announced "Count March requesting entrance!" The knowledge that she'd had guards posted at her room suddenly troubled Alice, even though she'd usually had at least one back in her own castle. But whereas then they'd been to protect and assist her, she had the distinct feeling that the Heart Palace guards were to make sure that she didn't try to _escape_. At any cost.

After calling that he could come in, the doors opened to reveal a tall man with wavy strawberry-blonde hair. He had bright eyes and a pair of rabbit ears, similar to the Prime Ministers, although his were brown instead of white. He gave her a bow, and she nodded at him as the maid curtseyed, launching into how timely he was. Alice tried to stifle a look, and the count, seeming to sense her annoyance, told the maid that he could give her the tour alone.

The maid exited, and he bowed again, this time introducing himself.

"Count March of Antair, m'lady." She gave a slight curtsey, giving her own introduction, though it was obvious by now that everyone in the castle knew who she was. It was probably difficult to keep the fact that you were kidnapping a neighboring princess from the staff that, by the end of the day, could tell anyone anything about the people or the place they worked for. Just thinking of that made Alice remember that her father had always made a point to be kind to their staff.

_They keep us a comfortable, working royal family. If we're rude or harsh to them, they could do more than just serve us burnt toast for a week._

Alice had been too naive and trusting to realize that he meant they could easily cause the downfall of the royal family. Being kidnapped because of her maid had taught her better.

"Now, how about we head out on the tour?" he asked, and headed out into the hallway. Alice walked quietly behind, listening to his continuous narration, watching him all the while.

The count seemed to be rather energetic, and shockingly perky for such a place. Although, Alice only had a terrible prince, the Prime Minister, two gate keepers and a handful of bubbly maids to go off of, so she couldn't really make an accurate assumption about the people that lived in Heart Palace.

"So, m'lady, what do you think of the castle so far?" he asked after a few minutes of walking. Alice considered, trying to find an agreeable answer.

"It's very beautiful," she said, and he nodded, smiling.

"It certainly is! Everything's been made with the viewer in mind, so it should be pleasing to everyone who lays eyes on it." They were wandering a set of halls that was a little darker than the rest of the castle that she'd seen, the floors made of a rich dark wood instead of light tile, and more somber paintings and tapestries adorned the walls. Alice wondered if wing was where the mafia held its meetings.

Alice nodded, and glanced out the window. She stopped, staring at a slice of a garden, seemingly made entirely of roses. It was mostly red, thought the exact shade varied here and there, making a dappled affect. Splatters of white, yellow and pink were also found here and there, and after a few moments, she realized it was a maze. Thin paths cut through the flowers, which had been groomed to resemble hedges instead of bushes.

Alice tore her gaze away, and continued walking, with only one thought in her head.

_I want to go in there._

Was this the rose garden the maid from earlier that morning had spoken of? If it was, Alice was surprised. She hadn't thought a man as awful as Blood could make such a radiant garden.

"Count?" she asked after a moment, and Elliot raised a hand.

"Please, don't call me 'Count'. I feel too awkward if you do. I'm not used to having a title, I've been just 'Elliot March' for so long."

"Not used to having a title?" She cocked her head, frowning a little. He carried and spoke like he'd been raised as nobility all his life.

"Well, Blood recently did me a favor. He said that I'd earned it, and pulled some strings, and I was made into a count, I got land and everything. It only happened a few months ago, so it's still rather strange to me." He laughed, ears sagging as her rubbed the back of his head as if embarrassed. Alice noticed that when he got a little flustered, his careful speech and manners slipped and he had a slight drawl to his words.

"Careful," she said teasingly, "your roots are showing." Elliot blushed, shrugging.

"Yeah, I guess you caught me. I grew up in a small town, not far from here, and was taken under Blood's wing a few years back. I've been working on it, but I can never seem to get rid of my 'common touch'."

Alice smiled, deciding that she rather liked this man and his easy, unassuming manner. He didn't seem cocky because of his new title, which was certainly something rare.

"Elliot March...It's a good name," she said, smiling. Elliot looked surprised then grinned back at her, shrugging.

"Well, it's the only one I've had for a long time. I hope it fits me."

"And what about my name?" she asked teasingly. "Don't you think it fits me?"

"Alice Liddel? Oh, it certainly suits you. It's simple, but has a sort of charm."

"Lorina was the important princess," Alice said, a soft smile on her face. "She got all the 'm'lady's and the 'your highness's, and they always fit her. I was just...Princess Alice, the one who didn't get any real titles, and who didn't want any."

"If you'd like, I can tell the staff to address you as Alice," Elliot offered, and she was surprised by his sudden step of kindness. Usually this kind of thing was frowned on, and, had she been back in her own palace, it surely would have earned her a few more jabs at the hands of the nobles.

"O-oh, well, uhm, thank you Elliot," she said, and he nodded, seeming pleased to be able to help her.

They continued walking down a long, beautifully decorated corridor, filled with roses and paintings of vibrant landscapes, until Elliot told her that she was to meet the queen. Alice struggled to hide a leap of surprise; she'd totally forgotten that Artlind had a queen. When it came to the royal family, her head had been filled with Blood. He'd somehow become the country's ruler in her head, which was a frightful thought indeed. But he was just a prince, which meant there was someone else, probably of the Dupre line, that was in control. Though whether it was a mother, sister or stewardess, she had no idea.

"The queen..." Alice murmured, wondering what she'd be like.

"Yes. I think she'll like you. But then, you seem like a very amiable person." Alice laughed at him, unable to take the compliment.

"Oh yes, everyone just _loves _me. Including that prince of yours, I'm the object of his very adoration! I can barely imagine him _cross _with me." Alice cursed herself after moment, mocking Blood to a man who obviously owed him quite a bit. To her surprise though, Elliot just laughed. He waved a hand, and she stared at him.

"Oh, that's just the prince. Blood...well. He doesn't really fit into a neat little box like other people."

"And not in the same sense as normally applied," Alice said under her breath, not sure how far Elliot's loyalty to Blood extended.

He lead her down a hallway, stopping before two large doors. They were rather splendid, though not ostentatious, and she could barely take her eyes off of them as the guards announced her arrival. The doors swung open and Alice swallowed, attention drawn back to the fact that she was about to go before a queen.

Elliot motioned her inside, and to Alice's dismay, stayed behind. She only had time for a single backwards glance before the doors shut again, sealing her inside.

Alice walked into the center of the room, eyes set on a woman, clad all in red, sitting in a large throne at the end of the room. She looked rather bored, cheek resting on her fist, but she perked when she saw Alice.

"Welcome to Heart Palace!" she called, and Alice decided the queen was rather beautiful, even prettier than Lorina. Though it wasn't the same kind of pretty, the queen was a more wild, exotic kind of beautiful, while Alice's sister was a soft, warm and welcoming kind. The more Alice looked, the more the queen seemed like a mountain lion, prepped for a circus show. Everything seemed to have been fixed just so, her makeup perfect, her curls without a hair out of place. The feeling that she was like a circus animal grew in Alice as she watched the queen look about in an irritable manner, as though she was sick of looking at this room and being stuck on her throne day after day, and suddenly, Alice pitied the woman.

Alice glanced around the room, noticing the presence of courtiers lining upper balconies. They tittered and peered at Alice, and she shifted, self conscious. The queen seemed to pick up on this, and loudly ordered "Leave us! We wish to talk alone!"

Everyone in the room, courtiers on the balcony and the guards around the walls quietly shuffled out, until Vivaldi exclaimed "You! You're too slow, is this an act of defiance? Off with your head!"

Alice whipped around, staring at the person the queen was pointing at, and saw a thin, nervous looking woman. She shook her head violently, raising her hands.

"N-no, Your Majesty, you see, m-my skirts, they-they got caught as I was-"

"Excuses!" the queen shouted, and two guards appeared, latching onto the woman's arms. "We do not wish to hear your pointless explanations, Lady Irona! Now, you are to be taken down to the executioner's, and while you wait, you shall think of what you _should_ have done."

Alice stood stock still, watching the woman wail and struggle against the guards, afraid that if she so much as moved a finger she'd be sent to the executioner's as well.

"No, please! Queen Vivaldi, it was a mistake! I never meant to take so long, _please!_ I'll do _anything!_"

"Take her away," the queen sighed, resting her forehead on a fist as she waved the lady away with her other hand. "She's giving us a headache with all her screaming."

Lady Irona was removed by the silent guards, and the doors closed behind them, leaving Alice alone with the queen. She cleared her throat, remembering how even the trained lions at the circus were still fearsome animals, and gave Vivaldi a curtsey, introducing herself.

She stood up, leaving her scepter on her throne and strode to Alice, looking imperious and rather terrifying. Alice stood still, waiting, and then the Queen of Artlind _bowed_ to her.

Alice was shocked, queens _never_ bowed to people of lower rank, they hardly ever bowed point blank! And yet here she was, standing before Vivaldi as she straightened, smiling.

"It's marvelous to have you here. We are Queen Vivaldi, and please, feel free to make yourself at home."

"Wh-what?" Alice stuttered, utterly bemused.

"We've decided to like you. You're such an adorable girl!" Alice blinked a little, then smiled back.

"Oh, thank you, Your Highness," said Alice, while she decided that this woman was _definitely_ related to Blood. The way her moods swung from screaming that a courtier's head needed to be removed because she could not exit a room swiftly enough to then curtseying and saying that she liked Alice even though she'd only seen her for about a minute, there was no way she couldn't be part of another family.

_What am I supposed to do in a castle full of crazy people?_ Alice wondered, nodding and smiling and making small talk with the queen. She had to admit, Vivaldi was rather charismatic, once you got past her ferocious tendency to demand decapitation. But all the charisma in the _world_ couldn't make her next words any less horrifying.

"Alice, we think you'll make a _very_ good wife for our brother."

Alice nodded, seeing the resemblance of immediate relatives, and then blinked. Her smile froze for a moment as the words sunk in, then she felt sick.

"Wh-what?" She shook her head a little, waiting for Vivaldi to explain. "Excuse, I don't think I he-"

"Didn't...he tell you?" Vivaldi's questioning look changed to that of irritation and she made a noise in her throat. "That idiot! We knew that he was a conniver, and most certainly a fool, but this! Where is the prince?" she yelled, whirling around and stalking across the room. The queen flipped the lid of a message tube, one that ran straight to the servant's quarters, and she barked "Bring us Prince Blood!" into it, then slammed it back.

"To think that he'd trifle with a girl this way! When did he expect to tell you, the day of the wedding? Alice!" She spun, making Alice jump, then took several large steps so that she was in front of the princess again. Vivaldi grabbed her hands and pressed her face close, expression intense.

"Promise us that you will not accept this! Make him pay for what he's done to you, don't let him dance about like you have no feelings!"

"B-but I-you want me to refuse him?" Alice asked uncertainly, still trying to get over the fact that she was to be _married_ to a detestable prince that she'd met only once.

"Of course not!" Vivaldi said, tossing Alice's hands down and standing akimbo. "If you say no, then we will not be able to see you every day, and you're the only cute thing here, all we have to look at are dull courtiers, useless servants and a decrepit king!" She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head as if to show Alice just how that would not do.

"No, we can't let Alice go! You _must_ say yes to him, but once you're married, give him what he's worth!" Vivaldi made a fist and thrust it into the air, and Alice raised her own hands, trying to slow the queen down so she could get a few words in.

"Wait, what do you mean, you won't be able to see me every day? Do you mean if I refuse Blood at the alter he'll send me back to Underlen once the ransom has been paid?" A glorious hope was rising into her, making her feel better than she had in a long while. To think, she would be proposed to by Blood, but then she'd deny him, marring his pride and plans for who knew how long, and then she'd be allowed to go home! It was like sunshine, warming her up with excitement.

But Vivaldi blinked, cocking her head as if there had been some gross miscommunication between them.

"No, not at all. Blood will kill you if you don't marry him, probably with his own hands."

The sunshine inside her shattered, lacerating her insides. Alice stumbled back, feeling that she'd drown in her own horror_. _She'd never heard of a man like this, so deranged, so _arrogant_ as to kill a woman if she didn't do what he wanted. She knew he was certainly unbalanced, but this? Just because he could not marry her, he would _kill_ her? She shook her head, wondering how she'd be able to stand being bound to a man like that until she died. Though, when she considered it, her death would either be very soon or very late in coming.

Alice wasn't quite sure which would be worse.

Vivaldi scowled, and went back to pacing, spitting out insults and rants against her brother. Alice watched her silently, wondering what was _wrong_ with these people. What kind of barbaric country groomed people to accept death so quickly that there was no thought for reasoning or intervention. No matter how much Alice liked the queen, she could not deny the fact that there was something deeply wrong with Vivaldi.

She had just sentenced a person to death for a trivial reason, was emotional like a child and didn't care that she was speaking to a recently kidnapped princess, and was telling her that if she didn't marry her brother, Alice would be killed. She didn't even_ try_ to lift a finger to stop him! Sure, she had demanded to speak to him, but Alice had the feeling that it wasn't to order him to return Alice to Underlen, Vivaldi probably just wanted to yell at him.

The queen sighed, leaning over to inspect a bowl of fruit by her throne. She picked up a peach as a guard announced the prince, and as Blood walked into the room, Vivaldi hurled the peach at him.

Blood ducked and Alice jumped back, shocked by such wild behavior. Blood seemed unaffected, as though he had peaches thrown at him on a regular basis by his sister, like that was her way of saying hello. Alice stared at the both of them, unsure which one of the Dupre siblings should hold her attention the longest.

"You requested my presence, You Highness?" he asked, giving the queen a deep and mocking bow, and this time, Vivaldi thrown the entire _bowl_ at Blood. It fell short and she gave a wordless scream, stomping her foot.

"_Idiot!_" she shouted, storming over. "_What_ do you think you're doing, not telling her you were going to marry her?" Vivaldi threw a hand over in Alice's direction, and Blood slid his eyes over to look at her, as if just realizing she was in the room.

_That's probably right,_ Alice thought. _With a being like the Queen in the room, I'm probably like a pebble to him._

He sighed a little, looking back at his sister, and folded his arms.

"I don't see how it really concerns you."

"Of course it's our concern! You're going to marry Alice and yet you don't even tell her! What kind of monster do we _have_ for a brother?" She threw her arms up to the heavens, as if pleading for a higher being to relieve her of such a burden, and Blood looked entire unimpressed.

"I highly doubt my not telling her is the worst thing I've done so far," he said lightly, and Vivaldi whirled away, waving a hand in the air as if to blow away his words.

"This man!"

"You know Vivaldi, the easy thing to do would be to _stop butting in._ I'm getting rather tired of you seeing a need to come into my personal affairs." Alice thought she saw a small flicker of anger on his face, and wondered what he'd do now. Vivaldi scoffed, giving him a flat look.

"And what would you do to us if you could? Shoot us? Turn the country against itself?"

"It's being taken into consideration."

"Ha, like you'd want a broken country to deal with once we were gone! Selfish man, how we'd like to-"

"Do what? Behead me? Turn my supporters against me? That's a little dangerous, don't you think? The mafia isn't all that fond of you, now is it? They're dangerous enemies to have."

They glared at each other, locked in a moot point while Alice looked on, rather terrified. She didn't think it was healthy being around such powerful, dangerous people by themselves, but having _two_ in one room, arguing with each other, the tension was surely going to snap and hurt someone. Probably Alice.

Finally Vivaldi snapped, deciding that she'd rather yell at Blood than glare at him.

"That isn't the reason we called you here! What you've done to Alice, it's unforgivable! We'll not allow it," she announced, and Alice again fervently hoped she would call off the wedding, "you will _not_ do this to her. You stomp all over everyone else, but not her, not this time! We'll make _sure _of it."

"My my," Blood said, turning to look at Alice, and she folded her arms, looking away, as if that would protect her from his gaze. "It seems like you've made very quick friends here, Alice. First the servants, then Elliot, and now our very own queen. If I'm not careful, I'll soon be outnumbered."

Alice threw a glare at him and said nothing. She didn't like being near him, especially now that she knew exactly what he was to do with her. Blood took a few casual steps towards her, and she looked back at Vivaldi.

"What do you mean, Blood," she asked loudly, and Blood paused in front of Alice, casting her a look that said just how much he disliked his own sister.

"I mean that I'll have to make sure to get Alice on my side, or else I'll be overruled," he said, again breaking Alice's resolve not to look at him. Vivaldi laughed scornfully, and Alice wondered what would have to happen to make two people despise each other so _much._ It was in the very air between them, stating quite clearly that both of their lives would have been so much better without the other.

"Leave it to him!" she said scornfully, holding a hand to her mouth. "Leave it to Blood Dupre to make relations for a tactical reason!"

"The leader of the mafia can't go about making friends with everyone, you know. We have to be a little more selective in our motives of getting to know people."

"Ugh! We cannot stand being around you for another second!" she shouted, grabbing the scepter still sitting on the throne. She whipped it at the door, screaming "Get out! We wish to be alone! Get out before we want off with your head!"

Blood gave another mocking bow, and then took Alice's wrist, pulling her to the door. She was too confused by everything to protest, and honestly, she didn't want to stick around with a rabid queen.

She stumbled along beside him until Alice realized that Blood was squeezing her wrist to the point that it hurt. She pulled her hand away, and he looked down at her as though surprised he had dragged her along.

"Oh," he said, letting go of her, and Alice rubbed her wrist, trying to ignore the look of barely suppressed rage that had been on his face moments before. They were silent, walking the halls together for a few moments, until Blood turned to her.

"So. It seems that my sister let the cat out of the bag." Alice was more focused on the way her said 'my sister' like it was a shot of poison than the fact that he was referring to the news of their marriage. She nodded after a moment, staring straight ahead and thinking just how much she'd like to hit him. But that would just make things worse for her, that she knew.

"And you're just going to accept that?" he asked, and she pursed her lips.

"It's not all that surprisingly, actually. You _did_ tell me that there was a bigger reason for kidnapping me than for just a ransom. I just had to figure it out, but the queen ended up telling me first."

"How very diplomatic of you," he said, and Alice wondered if that was an approving tone in his voice. The turned down another hallway, or rather, Blood did and Alice decided to keep going with him, as she had _no idea_ how to get back to her rooms.

"I just have one question about that," Alice told him, and then gathered her courage. Not because she was afraid of what he'd do, but because she knew that asking would make it all permanent.

"When is it?"

Blood took a few moments to answer, and for that, Alice was grateful. It allowed her a few moments to prepare for the worst.

"The wedding's scheduled to be in a week and a half."

Alice sucked in a silent breath, relieved that it wouldn't be the very next day. She nodded, closing her eyes, trying to wash away the pain of knowing she'd be totally unable to stop it.

"I suppose...you're wondering about _my dear sister_ and I," Blood said, and Alice looked up, curious. It was true, she had wondered about that situation, for how could two people who hated each other so _much_ not do something about the other? There were ways for Vivaldi to send Blood away, and ways for him to ruin her, but considering that the two of them were completely unstable, Alice would have been less surprised if they ended up killing each other.

"Yes," she said after another moment. "I'm not very familiar with the idea of such a...discordant family, so I can't even begin to guess why you'd hate each other in the first place." Blood laughed at this, and she waited for his answer.

Alice distantly realized that while she was walking here, in this sinister castle, she wasn't as afraid any more. Hardly at all, actually, if you didn't count the moments when Vivaldi or Blood exploded, but then she figured that _anyone_ would fear for themselves in that situation. Now she felt more of a deep resignation, and an over all wariness. What could Alice do against such beings? No, she was left to float along and pray not to be drowned by it all.

"We...both are accustomed to getting what we want. Usually that's fine, but it this case...we both are after the same thing. Control," he said, in response to Alice's questioning look. "We both want the crown, and because she is the eldest, she has it. For the moment, at least," Blood added under his breath, and Alice had the distinct feeling that he would very happily kill his older sister with his own hands.

"And I, in my current position, can't steal it away from her like I normally would. She's too powerful. Artlind...is very familiar with an unsettled government. The people have experienced anarchy, and that's something they're desperate to avoid from ever happening again. That's why they cling to their current queen, a bloodthirsty and unstable woman who is more like a hurricane than anything. You can't predict it, all you know is that there will be a lot of bodies left behind."

"But if she's so terrible, why don't they revolt and elect a new leader?"

"Because she's not a terrible ruler," he said grudgingly. "To the people, she is the image of strength, pulling the discordant classes together and making a formidable country out of it all. Vivaldi does not tax the people into poverty, but she doesn't stand for disloyalty nor dishonorable actions. She may be strict and cold, but she does not rule them unjustly."

"But she's fine with beheading people over ridiculous misunderstandings?" Alice asked, a hard edge in her voice, and Blood looked at her, more sharply than she would have liked.

"That's something they don't know about," said Blood, and Alice felt cold, even though she was watching in bright sunlight. "The commoners don't have an inkling as to the temperamental state of the queen, and the nobility is too terrified to say anything."

"So the public is fond of the queen...but where does that place you? What keeps her from removing you from the picture?" Blood smiled, and Alice was starting to realize that he only showed humor over sad, awful things.

"Simple. I control the mafia. Vivaldi knows that she can't lay a finger on me, or else the mafia would over throw her. I've amassed enough followers loyal to me to threaten her, and she can't do a thing to dissuade them, as she..._ran afoul _of the mafia a while back."

Alice nodded, looking down at her feet and thinking. It was clear why the Dupre siblings didn't do more than fight verbally, as each would be left with a hostile half of the country to rule, which would surely end poorly. Both of them obviously didn't want the hassle of stitching together a broken country with a grudge, and were looking for other, sneakier ways to take over.

"If you could," she began, pretty sure she already knew the answer to this question, "I mean, if there were no repercussions other than you becoming ruler or her getting rid of..."

"A pest," Blood filled in for her, and she pursed her lips.

"-Of you," she finished resolutely, not wanting to be pulled into the darkness of the castle. "What...what would you do then?"

Blood looked Alice in the eye, and with all the cold sincerity of an adder striking, said "I would shoot her where she stood, the moment I was able. And she'd slice my head off herself."

Alice looked away, faintly horrified. She wasn't surprised by his answer, but was sickened by how quickly and _honestly_ he'd answered. She had the feeling that he didn't tell the truth all that often, but Alice could _feel_ that he wouldn't lie about this.

"Alice," he said softly, holding a hand out. She blinked, surprised to find the two of them were outside her room. Alice paused, gathering herself, and curtseyed to the prince, bidding him farewell. Blood gave her a short bow, and then turned on his heel, returning back down the hall.

She watched him for a moment, and wondered what had just passed between them. It had been neither friendly nor hostile, merely factual. He had given her information, and she had taken it, no feelings involved. Now that he was gone, all of her initial dislike came back in a rush. She frowned, turning back to her room, and wondered what had come over them. Surely they wouldn't have another civil moment together, not unless forced.

And if she really was to be married to this man...how could she possibly survive? Most likely, he'd kill her within weeks of their wedding, just out of sheer annoyance. Wouldn't surprise her, not really. Alice had learned all she needed to about Blood in the day that she'd been in Heart Palace.

Blood Dupre was a violent, insane man that had developed a need for her. Once she had ceased to be useful, or when she bored him...he'd get rid of her. Simple as that.

_**AN Okay...I think I can coherently string together a sentence without thinking about it for like, five minutes before hand now XD BUT GAH THIS CHAPTER. SO LONG! It felt so awkward by the time I reached Blood and Alice's conversation, everything seemed dysfunctional. But I swear, things won't be so civil and boring and blah come next chapter! I'm getting tired of this whole skirting around everything XP**_

_**Also, how many guessed that Blood would steal Alice to marry her? And do you guys have any idea as to why? Please, do tell.**  
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	4. die zeit vergeht

**_AN Oooooh, this is a chapter I really like! I'm not sure why, but it seems a little sweeter than the others, even if it's a kind of mournful sweet._**

**_And thank you to everyone who reviewed and faved and alerted and oh it just had me all aflutter! Even though I've been writing fanfics for a while now, it never ceases to amaze me._**

As much as Alice didn't want it to...time passed. Seven days slipped by, with Alice becoming more accustomed to the castle, the people in it and the fact that she wasn't about to be rescued by her family. The nearer the wedding loomed, the more time she spent in her room, hiding from the preparations, until the preparations included _her,_ her dress, her jewels, how she was to act...From that, Alice _ran._ It was a game with her, seeing how long she could run from all of this, finding a new hiding place.

Finally, she was forced to stop upon Elliot's request.

She had hidden up in a tree, climbed up when no one was around and settled high enough that no one would spot something terribly amiss with a splotch of blue among the foliage. Alice had been looking off, away from the gardens to the mountains, thinking that just beyond those crags was her beloved castle. When she had been initially taken to Heart Palace, they had skirted the mountains, taking what Dee had told her was a 'special secret passage', giggling and raising a finger to his lips, and telling her shhhh, not to tell.

It made her smile, to think that he was still just a child. And then it broke her heart, thinking that this same child had been perfectly fine with the thought of killing her.

"Alice!" She glanced around at the voice, startled from her reverie. Alice sighed and settled back against the trunk.

_That's the fifth person that's called out for me. Do they think that one more person is going to make me come out?_

"Alice, come on! You're really complicating things you know! How are we supposed to get this wedding finished on schedule if your dress isn't ready?"

Alice stared off at the leaves, thinking how pretty they were, dappled with the sunlight.

"Alice. You know, it's really unlady like to sit up in a tree like that."

She jumped, looking around and seeing Elliot, standing akimbo below her. She adjusted her legs so she was sure he couldn't see up her skirt, blushing a little at what people would say if they found out that the youngest princess had done something wrong _again._

Then Alice remembered that she _wasn't_ in the Liddel Castle, but Heart Palace, where she was treated with respect and general good humor.

"H-h-how did you find me?" she asked, trying to hide her flush with a hand.

"Common sense," he said, an ear perking as he gave her a smile. Elliot leaned against the trunk, shrugging. "I wasn't raised as a noble, remember?" Elliot fake-whispered, putting a hand to his mouth. She smiled, wondering how such a nice man was working for a monster like _Blood._

"So instead of thinking of the strange nooks and crannies in libraries or under kitchen sinks, I started with places where any sad person would go."

"Why do I have to come down," Alice asked, feeling a bit better.

"Because your seamstress is frantic because Vivaldi said that if her dear Alice was not found within the next hour, she'll behead all those in charge of her. In this case, the seamstress."

"Oh, but that's horrible!" Alice exclaimed, hand at her mouth. Elliot just shrugged again, not seeming too bothered.

"It's a hassle finding a new seamstress, yes, but nothing too terrib-"

"I mean that she's going to be killed because of me!" She turned to get down, then stopped, looking over her shoulder.

"Look away, if you please, Count March."

Elliot grinned and raised his hands, slowly turning around. She scampered down, landing heavily and then straightening, glancing around to be sure no one saw. Alice brushed off her skirts, and cleared her throat.

"So tell me, Count, do I look like I've spent the last hour in a tree?"

He turned to look at her, smiling big. Elliot's smile fell a fraction as he beheld her face, looking concerned.

"No, but it does look like you're spent the last two crying."

Alice looked away hurriedly, but he caught her face.

"No, no, hold on." He rubbed a thumb against her cheek, making a face. "If we just had some cold water..."

"I could dip my head in the stream over there," Alice joked, pointing over the hedge to where she'd seen a picturesque brook. He smiled again, and snapped his fingers.

"There we go! Nothing better for getting rid of the sign of tears than a lot of smiling. Now, if you don't mind Alice, we've got to go get you fitted for the wedding."

Immediately Alice's good humor flaked away, and Elliot frowned.

"Oh, no...I'm sorry Alice. I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine," she said, raising a hand and walking on. "I just...need to accept it all. There's not going to be a rescue team for me, but I keep expecting one to show up. I doubt my family even knows I'm _alive._" Elliot's face fell a little more at this talk, and her looked away, as if embarrassed.

"He didn't have you kidnapped just to make you miserable, you know," he said quietly, and Alice fought a rather hysteric laugh.

"Then why did he do it, huh? I don't get why it's me! I don't get why he doesn't just drop me in some dungeon and find another princess, because obviously he hates me."

"Hates you? Why would he do that?"

"Because when we _do_ talk, it's always an argument. Because he has been avoiding me for the entire week, and because...because he is just the kind of man to hate kidnapped princesses!" Alice blew a lock of hair out of her face, anger squashing all the joy she'd felt a few seconds ago. Elliot frowned, shaking his head as if it was too much to explain it all to her when she was in this state.

He lead her into the castle, where Alice regretfully entered the clutches of her maids. She cast one backward glance at Elliot, as if asking if she couldn't just have stayed in the tree, and he hid a smile, shaking his head no.

* * *

><p>It was two days before the wedding. Alice had been worn silly from all of the fittings and the meetings with the Artlind aristocrats (who were just as sly and conniving as the ones in Underlen. Only, they didn't openly hate Alice.), and a few outings with the Queen. It appeared that Vivaldi had made Alice her new toy, taking her for walks, tea parties and even once or twice to her personal rooms, which were filled with stuffed toys, dresses and jewelry.<p>

"We always want to feel our best, and if we're around pretty things, it's hard to feel bad!" she'd told Alice, beaming like a little girl and clutching a toy cat to her chest.

Now she had nothing to do, in this terrible lull before she was sealed to Blood. Everything seemed to be finished, leaving her to occupy herself for two whole days, which was essentially her fretting herself half to death over the coming wedding. Alice wished that she _would_ fret herself to death, because at least she'd be saved from having to go through with this. She didn't quite know what she'd do _after_ she was Princess of Artlind, she didn't have much time to contemplate it between being terrified of the wedding and enraged at it, but the odds said that it would _not _be fun.

Alice wandered the halls, making small talk to who ever she met, getting a bigger picture of the place she was stuck in. Apparently, her prince was supposed to be a very complex person. He was very charismatic, in the beginning people had thought that he was quite the charmer, and popularity had swayed in his favor as successor when his father died. Around that time, the mafia had been cracking down on the citizens of Artlind, people were disappearing, their houses burned down, there were always accidents. When the king really did die, there was a leak that Blood had been responsible for all the havoc. The people thought that Blood had neglected to take care of them, when he really was the one commanding the whole thing.

Apparently, the king had been getting old and the country starting to fall apart. The mafia had been viewed as a story to scare children, because of the king's lack of judgement (he had been the only suitable candidate, considering Vivaldi didn't like them and Blood wasn't old enough to lead anything reasonably) but when Blood had been elevated, he decided to remind them that the mafia was very much real.

The people forgave him after a while, but there were still rumors that Blood had personally killed the king to take his seat. He'd spent the last few years trying to claw back his previous popularity, and while the public still loved him, it was only a fraction of what he'd had before.

Since his exposure to the citizens of Artlind, more and more people were finding out that he was more or less unstable. So far it had been kept to the upper classes, with the threat of something other than death looming over them if they told anyone. Besides his charisma and questionable mental state, he was also supposed to be a brilliant strategist and fighter as well as extremely conniving. Plus he was stubborn and very willing to do whatever he had to to get his way. This Alice knew from personal experience.

Alice had also learned interesting tidbits about the castle and the country. Artlind was nicknamed 'Heart Country', for a few reasons; hearts were prominent on the country's flag as well as on the Dupre crest, the country's animal was a hart, and the specialty dish was roast hart with sweet peppers, the common wild flower was shaped like a heart and so on. But Alice had learned that it had originally been the country of people's hearts. Artlind hadn't always been so stricken with civil war, famine and plague. It had once been the ideal place to live, with kind rulers and plentiful crops. Several neighboring countries had become jealous of the bounty, and attacked Artlind. After that, it had dissolved into the state it was in now, broken and remembering the glory of generations before.

Alice had spent enough time wandering around the castle to have a good hold on the general location of everything. Today however, was the first time that she decided to explore the library. It was huge, full of wonderful books that could drown out any sorrow she felt.

Alice twirled in breathless delight, staring up at the high shelves, grinning like a child. She hurried to a shelf and began skimming the titles, grabbing down any that looked promising. By the time she was done with one shelf, she had an armful of books. Alice set them beside a comfortable looking couch, and began reading.

She lost herself in the story, flipping the pages as if she expected the book to be snatched out of her hands any second. Alice was so engaged that she didn't even hear the door open and the footsteps that accompanied. It was only when the person was a few feet away and cleared their throat that she jumped, looking up.

"O-oh, uhm, Blood!" she said, staring at him and pressing the book against her chest in an attempt to slow her heart. "Wh-what're-what're you...uhm..." She trailed off, looking around and trying to find something intelligent to say.

"I'll browse over here until you can think straight again," Blood said, giving an amused smile. Alice tried not to flush, nodding a little as he walked over to a nearby wall, thumbing through the volumes. She closed her eyes, thinking that it was just her luck that would make Blood the type of person who enjoyed reading. Opening her eyes, Alice mimicked Blood, clearing her throat.

"Do you...enjoy reading?"

"It passes the time," he said, reaching up for a book a few shelves above his head. Alice blinked, well dressed he was. It looked like someone took deliberate care in what he wore, so as to play up his good looks and height. Why hadn't she realized this before?

"Of course, I usually prefer more _active _engagements, but for some reason," Blood pulled the book down, looking at it as he adjusted his grip on it, "I quite enjoy sitting still and letting my mind do all the action."

Alice nodded, tried to not show how _uncomfortable_ she was around him. She highly doubted that this meeting would be so passive as the previous one. She looked down at her book, searching for her place, when Blood said "I'm a little surprised. I wouldn't have guessed you were such an avid fan of literature."

"Avid fan...?"

He nodded at the pile of books beside her, and Alice felt her ears grow warm. She smoothed her skirts, praying she wasn't about to do something ridiculous.

"Oh, well, I haven't had much chance to read lately." Blood narrowed his eyes, and Alice realized he expected her to make another jab about her being kidnapped. She bit down the urge, and instead said "There's been a lot going on."

She waited, watched him nod, relax just slightly, and felt relieved. The more she learned about Blood told her that he was _not_ the person to argue with. He sat by her, and she stared openly, eye brows slightly raised. Blood didn't notice until after he opened his book, glancing at her.

"Yes? Is there a problem?"

"No, none at all. I just...didn't expect you to sit so...close."

Blood gave a chuckle, turning back to his book, and she looked at the pages of her's, watching the words slide by but not taking a letter in.

_Is it chance that he's here, now? Or did he know that I was already here? But why would he come here, that makes no sense! He can't enjoy the pleasure of my conversation, or else he would have come to me before now. So why..._

Alice flipped a page, suddenly aware of how _loud_ reading was. She could hear both of their breathing, the pages turning, the slight rustle of her dress, which she had grudgingly admitted was pretty, with the white lace trimming her sleeves and collar standing out from the pink satin, but now seemed extremely noisy and ostentatious in the presence of Blood...

This was awful. She wanted to get up and leave, but what would he think if she just _left_?

The still angry part of her snapped back that she didn't _care_ what this selfish prince thought. He could think whatever he wanted, she wasn't there to make a good impression. She was there because, for some strange and heartbreaking reason, he wanted to marry her, and there was nothing else for it.

_I'm probably going to get murdered on my honeymoon..._ she thought dismally, but then the thought of going on honeymoon with him froze her stiff. It'd be just them...and they'd be married. Which meant...

At that point her brain started stuttering in horror and she decided it was just better to start reading again.

"Are you nervous?"

She looked around, surprised to find that Blood had closed his book and was just watching her, and positioned like he'd been doing that for a while.

"About what?"

"Anything. When you seem anxious, you have a tendency to rub your thumb," he told her, pointing at her left hand, which was rubbing her right thumb. Alice instantly stopped, straightening a little, surprised that he would have picked up on this idiosyncrasy.

"I'm not really bothered by you being here, nor by reading this book. I can't think of any other immediate reasons, other than the wedding." The word 'wedding' seemed to come out a little strangled to Alice, and she hoped he couldn't tell how worried she was about it, nor that she was lying through her teeth about his being there.

"The wedding?" he asked, cocking his head.

"Yes. Well, I haven't exactly been...married before, so I don't really know what to expect. Plus I'm not going to have the support of my family in this." Her throat closed when she said 'family', and Alice prayed she wouldn't start crying.

"And that's all you're worried about? Not having the support of your family?"

"Well, yes. The Liddel have always valued friends and family. I'm not at fault for being a product of the practice of several generations."

"No, but you most certainly are at fault for not changing it. It seems highly impractical to me. Families are the ones who know you best, you weaknesses. That's how you live a short, foolish life, trusting family."

"And the same can be said for trusting your servants," Alice said lightly, but gave Blood a hard look. He leaned his head back, remembering, she was sure, the maid that he had sent in to aid in Alice's kidnap. The image of Peter shooting her popped back into Alice's head, and she felt a little sick.

"Well, that seems a bit like a personal mistake. There's no excuse for being foolhardy."

"Foolhardy?" Alice asked in a voice that was probably too loud for a library. "What on earth is_ foolhardy_ about trusting the people you pay?"

"The fact that maybe, there's someone paying them more to betray you."

"So now you're blaming _me_ for something you've done?" Alice practically yelled, but Blood merely shrugged, expression not changing. He did raise a hand though, as if showing he wasn't armed. Alice noticed that the other one was clenched in a fist at his side, as though he was trying to control his temper.

"We were only speaking hypothetically, Princess," he said, and Alice noticed that he only gave her a title when he wanted to irritate her.

"Oh, of course. It'd be absurd to think that a princeling like you could _ever_ do such hypothetically awful things," she said, drowning her words with a gallon of sarcasm. She turned back to her book, angrier than she had been in days. He stayed in the same position, legs crossed and arm outstretched along the back of the couch. Alice suddenly wished that she had chosen a single person seat.

"Alice..."

"Yes, _Your Highness_?" He pursed his lips in irritation for a moment, then continued.

"Are you...really so worried about the wedding?"

"I thought we discussed this," she said, not bothering to move her eyes from the page.

"You didn't really give me a proper answer."

Alice sighed, looking over at him.

"Blood, I have been kidnapped from my home in the dead of night, while being continuously threatened by savage _children_. I have been dressed, preened, primped and pampered like I am a show dog to please you and your upper class, as well as having been been trapped in a castle to which I don't belong. I am miserable, I know no one yet they love me and I am to be wed to the man who has orchestrated this whole thing and who has no intention of ever letting my family see me again. I do not know what is going to happen when the wedding is over, nor the roles I will have to take. This wedding that is to take place in _two days_ is the end for me. After that any ridiculous _shreds_ of hope I have left that you'll let me go, or that my family will come save me, are over. I have only two days to make an escape if I can delude myself into thinking that I can, and honestly, I'm not sure whether or not I want to kill myself. And all of this, is caused by _your_ wedding."

Blood nodded, like he was frequently told that his wife to be was miserable, most likely hated him and was contemplating suicide. He half closed his eyes, seeming to think, and Alice waited, thinking that there was nothing else she could do.

"I suppose..." he started, then paused. "I suppose I have made quite a situation for you."

Alice wanted to both cry and slap him for how uncaring he looked.

"But...as paltry as this is, I might be able to give you something that is a little more traditional. That might soothe this offense I have committed to you, just a bit."

"The same way a drop of water soothes a burn?" Alice asked, a little too tired to care. She was finding out that all interactions with Blood left her immensely tired.

"Probably," he said, lips lifting in a faint, flat smile.

"Well, go ahead then."

_It's better than nothing..._

"Will you marry me?"

The words were so unexpected, she sat there, waiting for meaning to hit. And then it did, with all the force of a carriage. Alice jerked back, eyes wide.

"W-w-_what_?"

"Will you, Alice Liddel, marry me?" he asked, saying every word firm and clear. She shook her head, felt tears spring up, but pushed them down.

_What kind of cruel, teasing man is this? He offers me compensation and all he has is_ this_?_

Blood waited as she battled with herself, until she looked at him, giving a pained, sad smile.

"Have I ever had a choice?" she asked, and felt a tear drift sadly down her cheek. Blood gave her an equally joyless smile, then wiped away her tear, the smooth fabric of his glove feeling like sand paper on her skin.

"Of course you have, Alice. Always." He leaned in, brushing his lips against her cheek, right where the tear had been, then stood up, book in hand.

"I apologize. I wasn't planning on asking today, so I don't have a ring ready." He had already returned to his formal, uncaring attitude, the relaxed and almost soft disposition she'd seen moments ago vanishing in thin air.

"Of course. I wouldn't have expected you to carry spare wedding rings around in your pocket," she said, assuming the same formal guise as he. At least when she was pretending it was easier to keep the tears in. He nodded at her, bowing and saying "Princess."

"Prince," she said, curtseying in response. Blood walked away, back to the door, and Alice sat down.

She was sobbing before the door even closed.

**_AN I feel so sad for Alice I just wanted to start crying for her! But at the same time I'm smiling, still kind of pleased over the last scene XD It's actually something I came up with back in those dark, cold days when I forbade myself from starting another BloodxAlice story, but still kept coming up with ideas. it didn't play out quite the same, but I like this version much better than the original._**

**_As you should all know, please make sure you review and tell me what you think. As awful as it is, I so do enjoy drowning in love~  
><em>**


	5. lasciami essere

**_AN This chapter is something that I just kind of tossed out. I didn't really know what I wanted, but I hope it's good XD_**

When she woke up, all Alice could feel was the weight of tears and dread. This was it, it was today, after this...she'd have no hope of going back. Today...was her wedding day.

Her main maid came in, opening the windows and humming like this was the greatest thing that could have ever happened. Alice felt too lost to tell her off, and just sat there as she explained the procedure.

Apparently, the wedding was to take place at dusk in a side pavilion. Alice wouldn't have to do anything but show up and say her vows, which was a relief in its own small way. Blood probably thought that she would be hysterical if she was allowed to talk with anyone. He was probably right.

Alice sat through the primping and preening required, and even though it took several hours, she couldn't recall more than a few minutes. Her maid bustled around her, calling in another woman to help her on occasion as she bathed, dressed and tended to Alice.

One moment, the bath water was drawn and wonderful smelling oils and salts were being poured in, and the next Alice was drying off, being handed clothes to put on. It wasn't until the wedding dress was cinched tight that Alice clicked back in with a teary gasp. Her maid jumped and stared at Alice in the mirror, looking worried.

"Oh, miss, did I pull too tight? Or did I hit you with one of the pins, the other maids are always saying I'm doing things too fast and not thinking-"

"No...no, it's fine," she managed to get out, swallowing some of her tears. "I just...I'm not sure I want to get married just yet."

Her maid's smile turned soft as she nodded, rubbing something into Alice's hair to make it behave.

"Yes, m'lady. I know what you mean."

"Alice," she said, catching the maid's eyes. "I don't want to be the cold princess you have to tend to. I want to be...a person."

"Yes, Alice," her maid said after a pause, and then Alice asked "What's your name? I can't just call you my maid for forever."

"Emily, m'l-Alice."

"It's nice to meet you, Emily," Alice said, then took another breath, forcing herself to look back at the mirror. Emily just gave a light laugh as she brushed Alice's hair, picking up a clip and testing it against her hair.

In that small moment, Alice felt like she had gained a new, honest ally. Emily wasn't like Elliot, who was a happy friend, but a person Alice could just tell everything, though that might have been because she was quite frankly at emotion's end and she'd burst if she had to sit there holding it all in for a second longer. Plus, Emily had a softness about her that other Artlinders didn't have. She seemed genuinely bothered by the executions Vivaldi ordered so often, and while she liked to talk, knew when silence was better than gold.

She finished Alice's hair, then moved on to her makeup. Alice had been silently crying through out the whole thing, but now Emily looked into her face and smiled, tapping the under side of her chin.

"A smile would make this all look a whole lot prettier," she said, and Alice gave a slight laugh, wiping her face with her handkerchief. She bit her cheek to keep herself from crying anymore, as she would look absolutely atrocious if she let her makeup run.

_And I just can't let myself cry in front of Blood,_ she thought, setting her jaw. That was one thing she was determined to not let him have.

Emily brushed and dabbed on makeup, until Alice looked like some beautiful fairy. Her eyes looked bigger, and her features more refined, yet accenting the fierceness Lorina had always told Alice was plain on her face. When she stood up, Alice was amazed by the simple beauty of the wedding dress, a tight fitting bodice with a large skirt, covered in gauzy layers that moved under the slightest breath of air, making it look like she was floating. The whole thing was lightly accented with blue, which was tied in with the slight blue in her makeup and blue flowers in her hair.

"This...this is amazing, Emily!" she gasped, and the maid gave an embarrassed smile and looked away. "I don't know how you could have even done such a wonderful job! Thank you, so much."

"Wait, your shoes," Emily said, probably more to deflect the praise than out of immediate need. Alice let Emily slip them on, then place the veil on her head.  
>She felt a lurch of fear in her stomach and prayed she'd be able to make it through this.<p>

Emily lead her down to the room beside the pavilion where Alice would wait until it was time for her to walk down the aisle. The windows were tinted, but she could still see the dim light of lanterns and the vague shapes of people milling about. Emily handed Alice her bouquet, and desperate and suddenly terrified, she grabbed Emily's hand.

"Please, will this be okay? I don't, I don't-"

"Alice, look at me," she said quietly, and Alice felt a little calmer, listening to her steady voice. "It'll be alright. His Highness isn't going to hurt you. He needs you, and you'll no good to him broken."

This flat, honest logic reassured Alice in a dark way, because she couldn't deny it. Blood obviously needed her for something big, if he was going through all the effort of marrying her. But still, _marrying_ him, cold and calculating and possibly _insane_ him...it was too awful to think about. And after they were married...that was not something she ever wanted to do.

"I'll tell a secret," Emily said, and Alice noticed the slight glow of excitement on the woman's face. "I'm getting married soon, too. And I'm so nervous, I can hardly even speak to him! It's going to happen, though, and then no matter what, we're going to make it through. My family doesn't really approve of him, so I'm scared of that, too. But I know that if I can be married, then you can, and the other way around. It'll all be okay, alright?"

"It'll...all be okay," Alice whispered, feeling safe for the smallest moment. Then a manservant came in and said it was time for her to go.

Alice's eyes widened as she stared at Emily, who lowered her veil and squeezed her hand before backing away.

"I'll be right here, so don't worry," she said, and then Alice was walking through the open double doors, taking in the faces of the nobles and the beautiful night and, most importantly, the two men at the end of the aisle.

She couldn't do this, she couldn't do this, she couldn't do this! Her legs would give out, her heart would stop, _something_ would happen to keep her from marrying Blood. Alice was a quarter down the aisle, glancing around at everyone, feeling trapped. She was half way down the aisle, but there was still time for her to turn around and _run,_ if she just put her feet in the right place.

Blood's back was growing larger and Alice tried desperately to keep her feet from moving, but she seemed frozen in that particular action. She felt like she might be sick, but if she was, Blood would be furious. It was probably best for her to just go through with it, probably nothing was worse than an enraged Blood. After all, three-fourths of the carpet was gone, and she couldn't just refuse _now..._or could she?

Alice had just decided to run, kick, bite, scream and basically do whatever it took to _get out of there,_ when she stopped beside Blood. His suit was more somber than usual, and he wasn't wearing his top hat. He cast her a side ways look, smirking slightly, and she felt the breath whoosh out of her at that devilish, handsome green gaze.

But that might have also been her on the verge of hyperventilation while wearing a corset.

The man behind the pulpit started speaking, but she didn't catch a word. Her mind was reeling and she was sure she was going to pass out, right there, regardless of the consequences.

Then, suddenly Blood was saying "I do," and her eyes widened as she was asked if she'd marry Blood. He was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, and she struggled for a moment, considering shouting 'no' for the briefest, maddest second, then she was choking out "I do."

The man behind the pulpit smiled and Blood was putting a ring on her finger, and all Alice could think of was that it was a pretty little golden shackle. Then Blood was told he could kiss her, and he leaned in, brushing his lips against her's.

Alice blinked in surprise, but he was already gone, smiling at the crowd that was clapping and cheering. He took her hand and lead her back down the aisle, and then Alice was back in the waiting room. Emily was in the same place, smiling sadly at her.

Alice turned to look at Blood, but all of the warm smiles had vanished. He moved away from her, striding over to the manservant. He didn't cast Alice a backward glance as he started giving out orders about something involving the western part of the country, exchanging suit jackets and putting on his hat as he did so.

She knew she shouldn't have cared, but Alice felt hurt that Blood just walked away from her without a second thought.

Washing away all the preparations for the wedding took a fraction of the time for putting it on. Alice cried quietly as Emily prepared another bath for Alice, putting in a different set of oils from before, which suddenly seemed ominous to her. Did this have to do with the possibility of Blood coming in to her later?

She was relieved when she put on her night gown and climbed into bed. Alice had been mostly silent throughout the whole process, but just as Emily was leaving, she spoke up.

"Emily! Uh...do you think...do you think Blood with come in tonight?" she asked quietly, and Emily was silent for a moment before saying "No, m'lady. I don't think he will."

As the door closed, Alice couldn't help but smile.

"Neither do I," she said, and closed her eyes.

A terrible thought hit her, and Alice's eyes shot open. Linden, Linden, _Linden, _what about him? Then Alice laughed darkly at herself, closing her eyes. What _about_ him? He was due to marry Lorina anyways, she didn't really matter in that situation anyways.

Alice felt tears slide down her face into her pillow at the thought of her old love, so many miles away.

_**AN BOOGAHBOOGAHBOOGAH. This chapter accidentally got replaced by another monthssssss after I first wrote it, so I had to rewrite the whole thing! ARGH! But, I hope you enjoyed it! I kind of tossed it out, and I think it's longer than the original XD**_


	6. felly mae'n dechrau

_**AN Oh my gosh you guys, thank you thank you thank you for all the reviews, favs, alerts and encouragements you've given me! I get so excited whenever I see that you've left me something~ **_

Alice looked out her window, wishing it would rain. Sunshine just _hurt_ when she felt so awful.

It had been a few days since the wedding, and still, Blood had hardly given her a second glance, and even they had been few and far between. They'd seen each other in the hall, across a courtyard, and they'd both attended a dinner held by Vivaldi. They'd sat side by side, as the volatile queen had demanded, but hardly a word had passed between them. Alice knew that really, it shouldn't matter to her, she was supposed to hate him, after all, but still. It felt like he was giving her a good slap in the face every time he neglected to even _speak_ to her.

_Have I done something wrong?_ she thought, sighing and leaning against the window frame, stretching her fingers to tough the warm pane. _Haven't I done **everything** you've asked?_

She closed her eyes, letting herself sulk for a moment, before pushing away and heading to her bedroom door. Sulking had never done much for her in the past, and she didn't think that it was about to change now that she had changed castles.

Even though Alice had been in Heart Palace for a few weeks, she still had a burning curiosity about the place. The people were strange enough, the servants more outspoken than she thought proper at some moments, and then meek and downtrodden the next. The nobles were something strange, too. Elliot was the only one she spoke to with regularity, but the ones she _had_ managed to catch more than once seemed...cowed, always nervous. She wondered if it had to do with the fact that Vivaldi had no problem in sentencing one of her court to death for trivial offenses, like not exiting a room quickly enough.

_These people don't seem to care that others die, but when it comes to themselves, they are willing to do anything to do anything. What a selfish mentality._

Alice was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she nearly ran into someone when rounding a corner.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she gasped, falling back a step. She had expected it to be one of the servants, but instead, it turned out to be the Prime Minister.

"Alice! I'm so glad I found you!"

"O-oh, uhm, hello, Prime Minister. I haven't seen you...in a while." She found herself unable to meet his eyes, instead looking off beside his shoulder. The image of him in her bedroom, aiding in her kidnap was fixed in her head, and she doubted she'd ever be able to look at him without remembering it.

"No, that _prince_ has been keeping me out of your way!" Peter's ears sagged, and Alice suppressed a sigh, figuring that this conversation would last a while. She started walking again, and he turned to accompany her, even though she was going the opposite way than he had been.

"Blood?"

"Yes. He thought that I'd complicate things for you two, so he sent me off to the eastern part of the country until you two were married." Peter scowled, making it clear what he thought of her new husband. Alice bit her lip at the thought, then pushed it away.

"When did you get back, then?"

"Today, in fact! I was just going to look for you, and here you are! I intend to spend the entire day with you."

"Oh." She wasn't too sure about the details of propriety in this country, but Alice was sure that a married woman spending large amounts of time with a man who had some strange fixation on her and was _not_ her husband was deeply frowned upon. Besides, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to get to know this strange man. He _had_ been the one to steal her directly from her family, after all.

"Don't you...have duties to attend to? You _are_ the Prime Minister." She paused, wondering what duties he could possibly tend to if Vivaldi was the ruling monarch. Alice hadn't gotten the impression that she was just a figure head, like in some countries, but what else could Peter be there for?

"They're not important! The Queen just shoves all the jobs she doesn't want onto me, the paperwork for the executions, dealing with droughts, a rebellion in the south..."

"..._Is_ there a rebellion in the south?"

"Nothing serious. I'm told it's mafia incited, the Prince will deal with it soon enough." Peter waved his hand, like everything he listed was supremely boring. Alice knew enough about the Artlind courtiers and other higher ups to know that there really was no use in pointing out how important all of those things were (well, not the execution papers. No signed documents meant fewer pointless deaths, which was always good). Instead, she tried going back to something he'd said.

"...Peter, why might you complicate my marriage? It's not like you'd benefit by _preventing_ it."

"But I would!"

Alice stopped, frowning at him.

"_What_?"

"Ah, Prime Minister, I'm glad I found you." Alice tore her eyes from Peter's bright face to look at Elliot, who had just entered the corridor. She glanced back at Peter, and noticed how quickly his expression had turned to that of intense irritation. Elliot also seemed cold, sounding more formal than usual.

"The Queen has been demanding you to go to her. You didn't report when you returned. And after that, you need to go to the Prince."

"I _know_ what I have and haven't done, March. And I think you'd best remember that you aren't in a position to order me to do anything." Alice noticed Peter's hand straying to where he kept his gun, making her cut in, worried that he might start firing.

"Oh, uhm, Peter, if Vivaldi is asking for you, then you should probably go. If you don't, she'll probably start ordering people to be beheaded again!"

"I don't care about _those_ people," Peter said, frowning at Alice like she knew better. "And I was all set to spend the day with you!"

"Actually, she has business to address, as do you," Elliot said, making Peter purse his lips.

"Please go, Peter. I'll...I see you later, and we can...catch up."

He sighed, reluctantly nodding. "Only if you promise, Alice! I'll make sure to find you when I'm done!" Peter called over his shoulder, starting to run off towards the throne room. She relaxed when he was out of sight, making Elliot chuckle.

"Seems you make friends awfully fast."

"Yes, well, this time, I didn't really _want_ to make friends. It was more like...he _attached _himself to me." Elliot smiled, and they began walking together.

"You should feel honored, Princess. The Prime Minister doesn't really _like_ people, so the fact that he took a liking to you really means something."

"Something to involve wanting to stop my marrying Blood?" she mused, cocking her head. The count laughed again, looking out a window.

"It seems to me, Alice, that you stuck the man blind with love during the few times you'd met in Underlen. He was adamant that _he_ should be the one to lead the...expedition," he said, pausing a little before selecting the final word.

"It's fine, Elliot. Call it a kidnap, because that's what it was. I'd like at least _one_ person to not skate around the subject. Well, two people."

"Two people?"

"Including Blood. But I don't think he should count." Alice's voice turned hard at the mention of the prince, making Elliot look at her.

"Does this mean that things truly _are_ strained between you and His Highness?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, no, I mean...ugh, I don't know. We...haven't really spoken since the wedding. Hardly even looked at each other, for that matter."

"...Ah. Well, he may be a harder person to win over than the Prime Minister."

"Why would I even want to win him over?" Alice asked contemptuously, glaring at the corner of the rose garden she could see out of the row of windows. He didn't answer for a moment, as if contemplating his argument.

"Alice...what were you told about Blood when you first came here?"

"I've been told a lot of things, Elliot. Most of which I can completely believe, yet don't want to for my own sake. He's a murderer, clever, head of the mafia, and...he'll never let me leave here." She paused at remembering this fleeting thing the butler had told her upon first coming to Heart Palace.

"Blood's...a tough person to deal with, but, if you _really_ want to get out...you could always..." Elliot muttered something under his breath, making Alice pause.

"What?"

He said it quickly, looking away to hide the slight blush rising in his cheeks. Alice started laughing, wondering what on earth could make him act like this.

"Elliot, I have no idea what you're saying! You'll have to speak clearly."

"I said, well...if you wanted to get out of the castle..." Elliot glanced around, then whispered "You could always seduce him."

Alice spluttered, jerking away. No _wonder_ he was so awkward about it!

"What? I'm not going to-_what?_ Elliot, how could you-the very thought-" Alice turned mute as she tried to find the words to describe how she felt. Her, respectable and decent Alice Liddel, seduce the insane and immoral Blood Dupre? Not likely! Besides, even if she _was_ desperate enough to go to such lengths, Alice would have no idea how to even start! And once she did...

She shuddered, trying to contain her revulsion.

Elliot had managed to beat back his embarrassment enough to laugh at her reaction, though admittedly his cheeks were still a little pink. He shrugged, and she shook her head.

_"_No Elliot, just...no. No. I'm going to have to find some _other_ way of getting my freedom, one that keeps my dignity _intact."_

"Alright, m'lady. I was just saying, it was an option."

"But why would you even _consider_ it? I mean...it's almost ridiculous! Is that how things really work around here? When you're not sucking up to or bribing them, you _seduce _them?"

"Well Alice, I don't know about the rest of the country or even the nobility, but that's how the mafia does it."

"Absolutely frightening."

Elliot smiled in a slightly ashamed sort of way, like he didn't want to defend his actions, but not quite wanting to condemn them, either.

"Yes, it is, isn't it? I hope you never get dragged into it."

"Forget you, _I_ don't want to get dragged into it." They laughed, rounding a corner, and Alice jerked to a halt, seeing Blood exist a room just ahead of them. He looked up, attention caught by their abrupt silence, then gave a slight acknowledging bow.

"Count," he said, and tilted his head at Alice. She gave a shallow curtsey, feeling ice slide through her chest and quell all of the laughter inside her. It was always this way when Blood was around, she could never be happy in his presence. Just sad, or angry or scared or something unpleasant, but never something so positive as happiness. She doubted that she'd even be able to manage serenity around him.

_Obviously he knows what he's doing to me,_ Alice thought bitterly, not letting any of her thoughts cross her face. Blood murmured something to Elliot, said good day to the both of them and walked on.

Alice held her breath until he was out of sight, and then let it out with a puff. Elliot cocked an eyebrow, but she only pursed her lips together.

"This, Alice, may be why he's so reluctant to let you out of the castle. If you act like the unhappy stolen princess, he's going to treat you like you're trying to climb out of the windows."

"Doesn't seem like a bad idea," she grumbled, and he shot her a stern look.

"_But,_ even if you _don't_ try to seduce him, if you show the prince that you actually _want_ to stick around, that you enjoy it here...he might be willing to give you some freedoms."

Alice bit down on a contrary retort, reluctantly thinking that he was right. It was times like this that Alice regretted that Elliot was such an astute, clever man. He made arguing with very difficult, especially when he had that kind, this-will-actually-help-you smile. How was she supposed to snap back when he was so _amiable?_

* * *

><p>Alice lay in bed, eyes closed and wishing for sleep. The last few nights she'd been completely restless, tossing and turning, taking off pillows and putting on blankets, anything to make her more comfortable. It was always a surprise to her when she woke up in the morning, as she fully expected to go the entire night without even dozing.<p>

Tonight was no different, though Alice was becoming very irritated with just laying there for hours on end. She didn't even know what was causing her to stay awake all night! It wasn't Blood, as any worry of him coming to her had thankfully shriveled up and died within the first week or so, and her sudden insomnia was hardly caused by anxiety over the next day's activities, as she had to struggle to come up with things to occupy herself with each day. It had to be _something_ though, Alice just couldn't imagine her sleeping patterns being reversed for no reason.

She sighed, then froze. A sound had come through the wall, from Blood's room. Despite her self assurances that he wouldn't do anything to her, whenever she heard him move in his sleep, Alice got particularly nervous. You just didn't know with a man like Blood. One moment, he could hate you, and the next...

_And the next he can be consummating with you,_ Alice thought, panic starting to creep up her chest at the very thought. She shoved it away, focusing instead on where she knew the door between their rooms to be. There was another sound from his room, probably just him getting a glass of water, or maybe he was doing a bit of late night reading, or...or...

The door creaked, and Alice's heart started hammering. She shut her eyes and held her breath as she heard footsteps come closer, until a dim light glowed through her eyelids. Even though she was terrified, Alice cracked an eyelid, biting her lip.

Blood cocked his head, face bathed in warm lamp light. Even though she was terrified beyond all reason, Alice reluctantly acknowledged that even just out of bed, he was incredibly handsome. His hair was messier than usual, and he was wearing a pale dressing gown. Dressing gown was good. That meant more layers between him and her.

"Do you mind if I read in here?"

Alice blinked, shock stealing a more clever response from her and gave a small nod. He set the lamp on the nightstand, settling in the chair by her bed. She stared at him, utterly confused as to why he was even there. Blood...just wanted to read? In her room?

He didn't offer an explanation, merely opened to his spot and started reading. Alice remained rigid in her bed for a moment, then relaxed as he turned a page. If he'd really wanted..._that_, then he would have asked to get in her bed. It seemed extremely unlikely that he'd throw down his book in a second and spring at her.

Alice watched him a little more intently in case he had plans to do just that.

The clocked ticked against the far wall, softly chiming the hour. Her recent insomnia suddenly didn't seem so boring, as she had something to vary the scenery. Alice really hadn't had much of a chance to just _look_ at her husband, except for when they were in each other's faces, snapping back and forth. She was rather surprised to find that when Blood was sitting still, he seemed...peaceful. The cockiness was gone, the smirk and the sarcasm replaced by an honest concentration.

_Shame he can't look like that all the time. It certainly makes him more_ _appealing... _

Alice remembered the conversation she'd had with Elliot. His first suggestion made her blush, even then, but his second...when she was absolutely mortified, it seemed rather reasonable.

_If you show the prince that you actually want to stick around, that you enjoy it here...he might be willing to give you some freedoms._

_Go on,_ she told herself, hands tightening around the sheets, _make him like you. Give Blood an incentive to let you out of the castle!_

Alice cleared her throat softly, making Blood look up.

"Why are you...I mean, why did you ask to...read in here?" Alice asked, voice weak from not using it in so long. Blood frowned slightly, crossing his legs.

"Why? Does it bother you?" he asked lightly, as though he really cared about making her uncomfortable.

"N-no, it's just...a little strange. I mean, you haven't...we've not really interacted, have we?"

"I'd say not," Blood agreed, cocking his head and looking thoughtfully at her book case across the room. She waited for him to explain _why_ he'd chosen to distance himself from her, but he said nothing. Alice also wondered if he was going to say how on earth he had such a power over her emotions. The man had successfully taken her on a roller coaster from the moment they had met, spinning her around hate, fear, respect, wariness, courage, scorn and more importantly, a desperate need to know what he was thinking, to understand why he was doing this. And despite all of those terrible things that he'd made her feel towards him, there she was, hanging on his every word, letting him wrap her up and set her on a shelf.

"Are you here...because you're lonely?" Alice asked timidly, and Blood sighed, closing his book. He readjusted his seat, setting his chin on his hand.

"No, that's not it. It's more..." he broke off, eyes flitting to her face.

"Go on," she prompted, and he grinned at her.

"Honestly, I'm here because I'm bored."

Alice felt like she had paled about ten shades. She barely managed to choke out a little 'O-oh', and he gave a silent laugh.

"Being here is certainly more entertaining than being in there. After all, I can not make conversation all by myself." Her lips quirked, more out of the fact that she had made herself so paranoid that everything he said was a segue way to the worst possible thing. He was right, she couldn't deny that talking to her was more entertaining than laying awake for hours of the night. Alice found it interesting, that he was suffering from the same thing as her. How long had this been going on? Did he usually suffer from being unable to sleep, or was this a recent development, like her?

"Do you often...have trouble sleeping?"

"It usually depends on the political situation at the time." He paused, a smile spreading his lips.

"What?"

"What interesting dynamics our conversations tend to have." Alice shared in his smile, hers almost sheepish as she shrugged.

"I suppose that we can't always be yelling at each other," Alice whispered, eyes falling to the lamp he had brought in. "In one conversation we wear ourselves out, arguing and thinking all sorts of terrible thoughts about each other, and then we have to build ourselves back up again." She frowned, thinking just how much she didn't want to spend the rest of her life constantly going between normal conversation and arguing over the tiniest thing. Blood seemed to be thinking the same thing, as he said "Does it have to be that way? I rather like speaking with you calmly like this. It's certainly less tiring having you as an ally than an enemy."

"Is that all you worry about? What your next move is, who next to coerce into helping you?"

"Probably," he said in a maddening way, like he knew just how much it tormented her, the way he danced around giving her an honest answer. Alice closed her eyes, tracing a pattern into her pillow. Neither of them said anything, lost in their own thoughts and allowing the soft sound of their breathing to fill the pause.

"Why did you marry me?" she asked, words soft and scared. Alice looked up at Blood, finding him examining his steepled fingers. "You can't possibly care for me, and even if you did there's no way you'd let something like affection rule your actions."

The words seemed small, but they started to consume the vastness of the night, pressing Blood to answer.

"Are you asking what I get in return?" he asked, glancing at her face. His smile turned humorless, appreciative and almost empty. "I married you so I can gain the crown."

Alice let the words hang there for a moment, weighing a response. She wasn't surprised, really. Hadn't he just confirmed that he spent every moment thinking on what he'd do next? But...him saying it so simply, like she was just a pawn...That hurt Alice. It hurt to be treated like a _thing_.

"I couldn't do it as an unmarried prince. By our law, it'd go to the next most eligible, and in this case, a distant cousin. If Vivaldi had dropped dead before we were married, I would never have seen the throne. Not unless I murdered every single person in my family, and then the public would revolt, because they'd never support a savage man like that. But, if I married a princess...then I would be the next in line. You, Alice, were the ideal princess to marry. The people...they like Underlen, love how peaceful it is. And I could hardly marry your sister, as she is engaged and-"

"Is more important than me. I'm useless."

"Hardly," Blood scoffed, smiling at her. "Didn't I just tell you that _you_ are the very reason I'm next in line? You are...a rarity."

"And...does this rarity have a further purpose? A widowed king can still take the throne."

"That...is very true." Blood had that worrisome, considerate look again, making Alice feel like she had just suggested that he murder her and he was really contemplating the merits of it. "But I have bigger plans for you, don't worry."

Alice averted her eyes, watching the lamp instead.

"Alice?"

"Yes Blood?"

"Promise that you'll not lie to me."

She couldn't help herself, Alice let her eyes snap back up to his face. He wasn't look at her, like he had just suggested she wear a green dress the next day instead of a cream one. Alice nodded, then managed to get out a small "If you promise to do the same."

Blood let his lips quirk again. It was amazing how this single conversation had managed to make him smile more than she'd ever thought he could. He nodded, drumming his fingers once over the cover of his book.

"Alright."

"How often do you keep you promises?" Alice asked, completely serious. Blood stood up, book in hand.

"Often enough," he whispered, bending down and kissing her softly. "Good night, Alice." Blood picked up the lamp, and silently headed out of her room.

Alice closed her eyes letting the darkness wrap around her. Her shock and exhaustion had effortlessly swallowed her restlessness, leaving her in an almost stupor like state.

Had she really just made such a dangerous thing as a promise with Blood not to lie to each other? That was practically saying she trusted him, which she most certainly did not. Yet he had done the same, promising to not lie about anything to her. That could actually be useful, but Blood seemed like the kind of man who would twist the meaning of his words so he could withhold the truth from her, and still not break his oath.

_Such a terrible person I have married. Why can't I just hate him and have done with it? Why do I care what he thinks about me?_

Despite all of this, she drew her hand up, touching the place on her cheek where Blood had kissed her. Sometimes, it really just amazed her how he could go from doing something like ignoring her to always knocking her off of her feet.

_**AN The second half of the chapter is a scene that I thought up when I was desperately telling myself 'do not write another BloodxAlice story'. I _**really can't imagine why I ever told myself that. I love this story too much! XD**_**_

_**And, of course, FFFFFFFFFF BLOOD. WHY YOU SUCH A TEASE? THIS IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE! JUST MAKE NICE TO THE WOMAN AND HAVE DONE WITH IT. **_

_**Please review and tell me what you thought! I want to know what you thought of the chapter.**_

_**PS Haha, I feel like the biggest troll right now, setting you guys up to think that Blood was going to consummate with Alice**_ _**when he really just wanted to read. Though I'm not really sure if that's just me or if I really am. You'll have to tell me :'D**_


	7. subtilis sociis

_**AN Oh, this chapter. I've had half of it written for almost a month now, but then I realized that I had no idea where to go from there. Well, I **_**did,_ but I wasn't sure how to move into the next scene, so I just kind of forced myself to have out with it and then go back and fix it later. XP Also, I have a question; Do you guys ever translate the chapter titles? I'm usually very careful about what they mean, what language I use, so on and so forth, and I have to wonder if you guys actually care. XD  
><em>**

Neither Blood nor Alice mentioned the fact that almost every night, Blood came into her room to read. Of course, it really was no one's business except for them, so there was no need to, but they didn't let on that there was any change between them. Granted, they did see more of each other, at meals and meetings and the like, but other than that, there seemed to be no change.

Alice was perfectly fine with this, as Blood seemed to be a completely different person when he was out in public, or at least within reach of other people. But when he was in her room...when it was just them, talking and breathing into the dark hours, he was softer, not sweeter, but...less likely to lash out, to be that scary prince that had had her stolen away. Honestly, Alice _enjoyed_ speaking with the prince when he was quiet, as everything was calm yet unpredictable in a suitably nonviolent way.

Tonight, however...Alice didn't want to see anyone.

Only a few days before, she had longed for rain, had prayed and dreamed and wished for storms, but now that they were here, she could only curse her foolishness. The rain did not wash away her sorrow, didn't soothe her longing for her family. No...tonight, it merely terrified her.

Alice lay curled in her bed, limbs drawn tight against her as she tried to block out the screaming rain and bellowing thunder. Not long ago, Alice had adored rainfalls, would cherish each one that sent other people scurrying for cover. But now, each crack of thunder was a gunshot from the Prime Minister, each flash of lightning a lantern shoved into her face.

She clenched her teeth, trying to hold back the fears wanting to swallow her, with little success. It became so difficult that Alice didn't even know if it was tears on her face or the terrible rain that had dragged her down as she ran across the Liddel grounds, fear of getting a bullet in the back making her go on.

Alicefelt the door open rather than heard it, and she suddenly felt even worse than before. She didn't want _him_ to see her like this, not now, not ever. Hurriedly she wiped her face on the sheets, trying to calm her breathing. As she expected, the usual "May I read here?" came, but this time, instead of giving him a polite "Yes," Alice got her breathe up for a quiet "No."

He paused, and she could just see his look of mild surprise.

"No?"

"No. I'd like to just rest, tonight."

"But Alice, you're not resting." She pursed her lips together, because the man managed to be irritating no matter _what_ was going on. Couldn't he just leave her well alone?

Another pause, and Alice heard him shift, but then lightning flashed and she stiffened, then flinched at the thunder crack.

_Go away!_ she thought desperately, wanting to start weeping, but refusing to let herself break down into tears in front of him. _Please, just let me be miserable_ _**alone.**_

She thought she heard a vague sigh, and then strong hands were roughly moving her over, and then pulling back the blankets.

"What are you doing?" Alice demanded, turning over, eyes wide. Her voice had come out in a terrified squeak, but she was convinced Blood had heard her.

"I'm getting in bed," he said simply, lightning sparking again to show his cocked eyebrow. Alice suddenly realized that hadn't brought his usual book and lamp, which were rather important if one wanted to read. So that only left...

Alice almost started sobbing right there, because it just wasn't _fair_ that he'd finally decided to make things official fact, it seemed _exactly_ like the low thing he'd pull, come to her when she was hardly able to fend him off. She clenched her fists, about ready to start pounding on him, but then the thunder came and she cringed, jerking in on herself.

The next moment, Blood had drawn her in to him, holding her tightly to his chest. Alice froze, waiting for his next move, but that was it. He just held her, one hand wrapped around her back and the other quietly stroking her hair.

_He's...he's **comforting**** me,**_ Alice realized after a moment, not sure if she'd be able to handle anymore mental strain.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he whispered, the rain dropping just enough for him to be heard.

"It's-it's the rain," she managed to get out. "The storm. I...I don't like it." Blood gave a small chuckle, almost disbelievingly.

"To think, the most fearsome woman I could have possibly picked is afraid of thunderstorms."

"I'm not afraid of thunderstorms!" she snapped angrily, then drew a little closer to him as the rain picked back up. "Just...the bad memories that go with it."

They were both quiet for a while, in which the rain decided to slow down almost completely.

"It was raining when I was kidnapped," Alice told him, voice soft. "I was so scared...I didn't want to leave my family. They probably think I'm dead now." She closed her eyes, hands fisting around his shirt. Despite her best efforts, fat tears were dripping down her nose.

Blood didn't say anything, which Alice was privately thankful for. She just wanted to lay all her cards on the table, to not dabble and dance around what she really meant. She also knew that if Blood said anything, she'd hate him, not matter what it was he had to say. He was the reason for her being there, and he wasn't sorry, which he had told her, flat out. Anything on the matter would ruin the quiet, manageable relationship they had somehow created.

"I just...I just want to speak to them. To tell them I'm alright, to not worry about me. They have better things to do."

Blood sighed again, as if he couldn't believe how ridiculous she was.

"Don't underrate yourself," he said flatly. "I've told you this before; you are something rare, something that can never be found anywhere else." Alice held her breath, realizing that he might have just told her she was something dear, something precious.

"Stop worrying," Blood told her, holding her tight. "You'll figure out just what you can be soon enough, if you just wait."

Alice closed her eyes, and they were silent for a while, letting the rain come in and fill the silence. It had eased since he'd come in, for which she was thankful, but the occasional crack of thunder still made her flinch.

Even though she was in the arms of an insane murderer, Alice couldn't deny the fact that she felt...not _safe,_ exactly, but she felt like she couldn't be touched. After all, she _was _in the arms of an insane murderer who had already threatened her life. She wasn't really sure if it was because she was in Heart Palace, which was famed for being the most lavish yet impenetrable fortress of the age, or if it was just that Blood was an unimaginably possessive man and wouldn't let anyone so much as touch her, but either way, Alice was comfortable enough to be lulled into a doze.

"Alice...?"

"Yes Blood?" she murmured sleepily, rousing at his voice.

"Do you really want to go see them?"

"My family?" Alice asked, waking up a little more. "Yes, of course. I mean, they're my family, and I...I didn't even get to say goodbye," she whispered, a lump growing in her throat. The tears that had stopped were suddenly in her eyes again, but this time, she didn't care if they fell. "Why?"

"No reason. Go to sleep. There are better things to be worrying about than this."

Trusting that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, Alice did as Blood said, and fell asleep.

When she woke up the next morning, she felt amazingly warm. The rain had stopped sometime in the night, leaving a pale sunshine to work through her curtains.

She rolled over, feeling something draped on her that was about the size of a throw pillow, but heavier. Alice gave herself a brief moment to wonder what it was, and then stopped dead as she was faced with Blood. She had somehow fallen asleep next to him,in the same bed, and, better yet, he had draped his arm over her. Alice was both shocked, scared and irritated, all at once.

Everything from the night before rushed back to her, including how _weak_ she'd been. To think, she had fallen apart because of a mere _thunderstorm, _and in front of Blood! On top of that, Alice had confessed the only real thing she wanted, which would just be another tool on his belt, she was sure. If Alice acted up, then Blood would use that desire to his full advantage.

_Wonderful, Alice. You're doing_ _**great.**_

Alice wanted to pound her fists in anger. It just wasn't fair, no matter what she did, he always got ahead. Was it because she had been lulled into a false sense of security, with him acting so nice to her on some occasions? Or had she gotten so caught up in taking Elliot's suggestion in making Blood think she really wanted to be there that she'd forgotten where her feelings ended and the pretending began? That was an incredibly embarrassing thought, one that she prayed Blood never found out about.

She grit her teeth, groaning into her pillow. This was absolutely ridiculous. Alice needed to get herself in check, or else Blood would be able to effortlessly stomp all over her.

After a moment, she looked back at her husband, frowning slightly. Here she was, grappling with herself, and he was just laying there, sound asleep, like he wasn't the cause of any of this. Alice hated him, right there, for looking so innocent and handsome. She sighed, because he really was handsome, indecently so. It wasn't fair, she decided, that he got good looks. A man who was so conniving and cruel and selfish should have looked abhorrent, a small warning to those around him.

But no. Her husband just happened to be beautiful.

And laying in her bed.

Alice pursed her lips, wondering why he hadn't taken the opportunity when it had presented itself. He wasn't the kind of person to not realize it had been there or to forget, no, Blood had definitely decided _not_ to do anything to her. Why was that? Was he trying to earn her trust? If so, didn't he realize how much she still _hated _ him? Blood would have to do a _lot_ more than that to get her on his side.

_And yet...he's been doing a marvelous job as is._

Alice froze, then reprimanded herself for even _thinking_ that. Yes, he had is good moments when he was polite and kind and everything was fine, but what about when he wouldn't even look at her? Or when he taunted her by acting like she had a choice, even when it was frightfully obvious that he would make her do whatever he wanted? Those were hardly endearing him to her, no matter what came in between.

Blood shifted, tearing Alice away from her bitter thoughts. She watched him, breath held, until he opened his eyes.

"Good morning," he murmured sleepily, giving her a small smile. Alice gave an awkward nod in return, not sure if what she'd say something nice if she opened her mouth. "Sleep well?"

"Ah...I suppose," she managed to get out, thinking that after he came in, she'd slept soundly. His smile turned knowing, as if he could read her mind, and Alice felt herself flush just slightly.

She searched for another topic desperately, looking around and trying not to be so painfully aware that he was watching her intently.

"Alice," he whispered, directly into her ear. She stiffened, a stream of emotions running through her as she managed a weak "Y-yes?"

"You're rubbing your thumb again."

Alice remembered how he had picked up on that tiny little idiosyncrasy back in the library, and stopped, frowning, not sure how he had noticed that when her hand had been covered by the blankets. She looked back at him and he laughed, a small chuckle that she couldn't help but join in on, because she was being rather silly.

The door opened abruptly, making the two of them look around at Emily, the maid that usually brought Alice her breakfast. Emily didn't seem to have noticed Blood in Alice's bed yet, as she was talking and pushing the cart. Blood sat up, catching her attention and making her freeze, blush slightly and lean back.

"O-oh, uhm, excuse me, I'm so sorry, I never should have-I knocked!" Emily hurried out, leaving the cart behind and closing the door with a sharp _snap!_

Blood and Alice looked at each other, and then dissolved into laughter. For something that scared Alice stiff when she thought about it, having someone else think that she and Blood had just sex sure did amuse her. She leaned into Blood, not really caring about anything, considering how lightheaded she suddenly was.

When they finally stopped, Blood turned, pushing the covers back from his legs. Alice held her breath as she noticed that somehow, his nightshirt had come partially undone.

_He's being handsome again..._ Alice thought, trying not to blush. _Frightfully so._

"Well, Alice, as much as I enjoy misleading poor maids, I have other things to do." Blood was standing, facing the door connecting their rooms.

"O-oh," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face and trying to compose herself. He paused, turning back to her, eyebrow cocked in a slight smirk.

"What, you thought that my being here was the promise of something more?"

"What, no!" she gasped, lurching back at the thought. She was scarlet now, she just knew it, but Alice tried to remain calm as she answered him. "I was just wondering...why did you lie to me? You promised you wouldn't."

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"It's just that...you came in to ask if you wanted to read last night, but you didn't have a candle or a book, and..." Alice trailed off, not liking the amused expression on his face.

"Alice, you mistake me. That wasn't a lie. It was a request, one that you denied. I haven't lied about anything. But thank you for caring." Blood turned his back on her, heading towards the door, and she pressed her lips together, not liking the sting of his words. They weren't belittling, or mocking, not exactly, but there was an edge in them that didn't make her feel_ good._

"Ah...Blood," she said quickly, thinking that she better just have out with it now, rather than let him bring it back up later.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Th...thank you for...for coming in." Alice stared at her hands, covered in sheets, not quite sure she wanted to see his face. Blood paused, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Not at all, Alice. Not at all."

_**AN So, what'd you think? I rather like the struggle Alice has with herself, especially the moments where she caves and admits that, yes, she is becoming more and more attracted to Blood. Because, I mean, come on. It's Blood.**_

_**Anyways, review and tell me how you think the chapter went. Also, give me some ideas as to what you think's going to happen next! You guys are always so interesting to listen to~**_


	8. ja niin me odotamme

_**AN Whoa, update! I like this chapter so, so delightfully much (even though it's pretty long), though I'm not sure if it's because of the writing or because of what happens in it. XD Go on and read~**_

Alice tried to keep her smile in place as she listened to Vivaldi over lunch. Their conversation had been pretty typical, but something the queen had just said something quite unsettling.

"Wait, wait, Vivaldi...what do you mean there's going to be an event?"

Vivaldi looked around, seeming genuinely surprised.

"What? Don't tell us, that pathetic excuse of a husband didn't_ tell_ you? What on earth is he good for, then?" she demanded, turning her face to the heavens and tossing her arms into the air, as if pleading for an answer. Alice waited, having learned that it was best to just let Vivaldi keep talking when she began a rant about her brother.

"The _party_ is in two days, and he can't even-! Didn't you notice the gardens being prepared?"

"I did notice there was a bit more activity, but I didn't guess a _party." _Alice frowned, wondering what she was supposed to do during the party. Was she supposed to be Blood's pretty little wife, who was silent and was just around for physical pleasures, or the clever one that would connive and charm her way higher? Or...

Alice had the suspicion that Blood was using her as an icon. He had admitted that she had been an ideal candidate simply because she came from Underlen, which was the country Artlinders looked up to because of its famed stability. The people, she had heard whispered, thought that she was a sign of good things to come, that with her knowledge of Underlen's political tactics and alleged good and philanthropic nature, she would help model the country into something better. Honestly, she had no idea how to take this fame, especially since she had never encountered it in person. It was all just the giggles and murmurs of servants, or the quiet remarks of the few nobles she had met while confined in Heart Palace. Blood hadn't let her leave yet, or rather, she amended in her head, hadn't taken her anywhere.

According to what Vivaldi had just said, however...

"Yes! We shall wear a new dress, with a lovely new rose pattern," Vivaldi exclaimed, leaning over with that spark in her eye that only executions and new clothes could produce. "What about you, Alice? Do you have something special for the party?"

Alice frowned slightly, sipping her tea and thinking. She had a number of beautiful gowns in her closet, but were the party material? It wasn't going to be a _ball,_ therefore she could dress a little more causally, but still...

"Yes," she said after a moment. "I think I do. A nice pale blue one-"

"With the white lace around the edges?" Vivaldi demanded, cutting Alice off. She gave a smile, nodding. The Queen had seen it as her royal duty to oversee Alice's most recent fitting, passing commentary on each dress. Vivaldi seemed pleased, as she leaned back in her chair, a small smile on her face.

"Good. We want Alice to look her best, even if our stupid brother just wants to show you off." The Queen pouted, taking a sulky sip of tea, and Alice tried to keep her smile in place as she felt the edges of dread seep into her stomach.

* * *

><p>Alice plucked at the cuffs of her dress, feeling a little worried. She had sat through most of her preparations for the party, but had yet to have her makeup applied. She pursed her lips, feeling a serious case of nerves start up. Her hair had been pulled up, and around her throat was a delicate chain with a simple sapphire at the bottom. Like she'd told Vivaldi, Alice was wearing the pale blue dress with white lacing, and, she had to admit, it did make her look very pretty. The dress made her waist look slim without the aid of a corset (this was something Alice was extremely thankful about, as she wasn't sure she wanted that particular handicap while dancing among a bunch of lunatics), as well as made her seem much taller. In another life, she would have been thrilled over the excitement of the party, as well as the thought of being able to see Linden, especially when she'd be in all her finery, but now, Alice felt only anxiety.<p>

So much had changed in the month or so that she'd been there. Looking back, it was almost mortifying how silly and vain she'd been. She'd thought about how much the nobles had hated her, and how jealous she was over her sister and not being the apple of everyone's eye and had acted like an overall brat. No _wonder_ the nobility hated her! She'd acted spoiled and selfishly, and had been forced to grow up when she was surrounded by people just like her.

_Though, they seem to have a bit more of a taste for bloodshed and murder than I,_ she thought dryly, closing her eyes for Emily to apply her eye makeup.

Alice thought about how...diplomatically she'd acted since coming to Heart Castle. Admittedly, the moments when she'd snapped at Blood or criticized servants for no good reason or indulged herself in bitter, self-pitying thoughts weren't exactly diplomatic, but it was a start.

_Baby steps, _the princess told herself. _Just baby steps...that's all it takes to go somewhere._

"There, m'lady, you're done," Emily said, and Alice opened her eyes, turning to look at the full length mirror. Her eyebrows raised in surprise, and a hand raised to her lips, trying to hide the shocked laugh bubbling out of her lips.

Alice's reflection was _beautiful._ She'd never been one to willfully disregard her own looks, and Alice had thought herself to be pretty, but nothing extraordinary. The way she looked now, however...it was almost breathtaking.

The blue of the dress was the color of thick ice, accented by the sapphires at her wrist and throat. Gloves encased her hands and arms, and the makeup applied to her made her eyes look larger, but angled and sharp. Her mouth was a dark pink, and her cheek bones were brought out a little more, making her look like she was enjoying a deliciously dangerous secret, and she could tell it to anyone, at any time.

"What do you think?" Emily asked, seeming a little self conscious. Alice turned to her, unable to think of the proper words of praise for this wonderful woman.

"It's...amazing," she said, taking Emily's hands. "I look...well, I look perfectly befitting of Blood. Dangerous and desirable and so unbelievably...majestic! Thank you, Emily, thank you so much."

Emily shook her head like she meant to say it was nothing, but her own pride leaked through. Alice paused, looking into her face.

"Emily...what do you think your marriage is going to be like?" she asked, uncertain. Emily looked up, surprise crossing her plain face.

"Oh, well, uhm, it's actually supposed to be tomorrow. It was going to be tonight, but His Highness said no servants could take leave unless they were ill, and I didn't want to take the chance..." She trailed off, looking away, and Alice felt a pang of irritation towards Blood. Granted, he probably had no idea that one of his servants was about to be married, but still. Couldn't he have just let _one_ go?

Alice smiled encouragingly towards Emily, nodding.

"It'll be alright, Emily. Look who I'm married to, and I haven't been hurt yet!"

"Yes, m'lady," Emily said, curtseying and slipping back into her proper role of the politely silent maid. "We best hurry you to that party then, shouldn't we?"

A thrill of fear shot through Alice's stomach, and it was enough to make her wobble on her high heels.

_If anything can help me get through this,_ she thought, _please, let it come. _She took a deep breath, held it for a moment, then let it out in a rush. Alice held her head up high like she'd been taught as Emily quietly escorted her to the pavilion where the party was being held, trying to imagine how Blood was going to act.

Her new husband had been on her mind all day, which was rather understandable. He would make this evening either very pleasant for her, or very nasty. If he was going to be the latter, than admittedly, he probably wouldn't be outright, but even if just _ignored_ her the entire night...Alice wasn't sure if she would be able to take it.

Alice caught sight of the party from a window as they descended a staircase, with lanterns and flowers and beautiful ballgowns and top hats and a thousand other terrifying things. The pavilion that the party took place was very similar to the one Alice had been married in, and heaven knew that that brought up enough awful feelings for a lifetime. She just wished she'd be able to make it through the night with out having a fit. If she could do that, she'd be fine.

There was a soft touch on the back of her glove, and she turned to see Emily, hanging back.

"This is where I must stay, m'lady. I'm not going to be serving at the party, so I must stay and clean-"

Alice smiled, cutting off her excuses.

"It's alright, Emily. You've done enough." Emily smiled back, looking relieved, and bobbed a quick curtsey. "And in case I don't see you later, I hope your wedding goes splendidly."

Emily looked surprised and a little flustered at her well-wishes, but nodded and smiled a little brighter. As Alice continued on by herself, she wondered how she had developed such a relationship with the woman. It was out of the ordinary, to say the least. Maids weren't generally spoken to like an acquaintance, and most certainly not like a friend. If Alice had to put a name to it, Emily was more like a lady in waiting to her.

_Funny how the rules of society blur here,_ she thought, straightening as she exited the palace, and stepped into the pavilion.

Alice smiled as people around her danced and talked and sipped drinks and gossiped and curtseyed and just had _fun._ A quartet in the corner was providing music, and a dance floor had been cleared for several couples to use. The delicate clatter of dishes surrounded the tables as people ate what Alice considered 'dainty dishes', and laughed over some wonderful joke.

The last time Alice had been at a party, she sulked through most of it, avoided her sister and Linden, and made polite biting remarks to her least favorite nobles. She had been such a child then, worrying about her popularity and dwelling on how the world hated her. Now, however, Alice had been forced to grow up. She was now the married princess of Heart Palace, and had to act like an adult. It was her job now to smile when she hated someone, remain civil when someone annoyed her, or at least, not be _too_ free with her bouts of sarcasm, and act like she really wanted to be there in general.

_If only Lorina were. Then I'd at least be sure of having **one** ally..._

A man stopped her, calling her name and making her turn around. He was tall, with slightly messy brown hair and a contented smile. The man was also wearing a decorated sword, as well as a lavish uniform, claiming him to be a well seated knight.

"Evening, m'lady," he said, bowing to her, and Alice wasn't really sure how to react. She was positive she hadn't met him before, but the way he spoke, it was like they were the best of friends in the world.

"Evening," she said politely, giving a shallow curtsey before he introduced himself.

"Ace Finley, Knave of Artlind," he told her, giving her a wide grin.

"Oh, I'm, well, Alice Lid-Dupre, Princess of Artlind." Alice smiled, hoping he wouldn't have noticed her stumble over her title. She hadn't really had need of it before now, and she hoped that she wouldn't slip over it again.

"I'm actually really excited to meet you," continued Ace, and he turned to walk on. Alice decided to walk with him, as he seemed an innocent enough companion. "I've been away from the castle for a few weeks now, but I still heard about the prince's beautiful bride." Alice blushed, unaccustomed to how casually he was speaking to her.

"Well, that's quite a compliment," she said, and he laughed.

"No it's not, it's the truth! I think it's a pointless habit to lie for no reason."

"That is a very practical way of thinking, Sir Finley," Alice told him, while she added '_Almost abnormally so' _in her head.

"Oh, no, not Sir Finley," he said, frowning in a slightly childish way. "Just Ace. No one in Artlind really uses titles and stuff like that. Not unless you're the Queen or the Prime Minister, and they're quite fond of themselves, anyways, don't you think?"

"Oh, well, yes," she admitted, almost shocked that he'd give such a blunt opinion. A woman came up to them, smiling brightly.

"Sir Finley," she began, and Alice noticed with mild amusement that she used his full title, "it's an absolute honor to meet you."

Alice glanced at the Knave beside her, and realized with surprise that his smile had turned flinty. The woman, however, noticed nothing. She chattered on, earning cold, flat responses from Ace. Alice, sensing dangerous waters, made a quiet excuse which they hardly noticed, and slipped away.

No matter where she went, Alice found herself drawing attention. Lords and ladies came up to her, ambassadors made small talk with her and asked her opinion of this, that and the other. Alice tried her best to speak to everyone in a winning fashion, but she really had no idea how she was doing.

About an hour into the party, she was assaulted by the Twins. She hadn't really seen them since her kidnapping, and wasn't even sure she _liked_ them, but they were still just children, and she supposed she shouldn't write them off _too _soon.

"_Alice!"_ Dee threw his arms around Alice's waist, but then was shoved away by his brother.

"No, we agreed that I'd get to hug her first!" he snapped at Dee, who merely stuck his tongue out at Dum. "You _promised! _You said that if I didn't, then I got to keep your lucky dagger!"

This thought seemed to make Dee reconsider, and after a moment, he grinned, smacking his fist into his palm.

"Alright, but I get to dance with her first!"

"_Nuh-uh!_" Dum lunged at Dee, but thankfully was intercepted by Elliot before there was any bloodshed.

"Why don't you two hooligans go bother someone else?" he demanded, ears arched and clearly irritated. He set Dum down and gave him a small shove in the opposite direction. "Go on, shoo. Alice doesn't need to be terrorized just yet."

The Twins, seeming to have seen something else of interest departed, with hardly a slight towards Elliot.

"Oh, thank you," Alice sighed, and Elliot grinned.

"No problem, Your Highness. I'm actually under orders to keep them away from you," he said, shrugging. Alice nodded, thinking that it was probably a good thing. The Twins seemed to express their love, or at least their excitement, through violence. In a flash, she remembered how they had so casually debated cutting off her pinkies in front of her and decided to be a little more careful around them.

_How could I have forgotten how bloodthirsty they are_? she wondered, smiling as Elliot picked out two drinks from a passing server. He handed one to her, and looked the way the Twins had gone, lips pursed and ears sagging in distaste. He sipped his flute of champagne, sighing slightly.

"Don't like your task?" she asked, and he sent her a look. She gave a small laugh behind her hand, and he gave a slight smile, rabbit ears perking a little.

"Thankfully, I don't have to babysit them the entire night. They're only allowed here for another..." he checked his watch "...fifteen minutes, then they're out. Really, I'm just making sure that they don't harm the guests." Alice would have laughed at what he said, had he not sounded to resigned and matter of fact.

"Good luck," she said, and he nodded, waving slightly.

"I hope I see you later, Alice," he said, then disappeared into the crowd.

Alice stood there by herself for a few moments, allowing herself a small amount of enjoyment. The party was admittedly a lot better than she had imagined, and was even kind of fun. She had yet to see Blood though, which was slightly worrying, and slightly relieving.

Just as she was thinking this, Alice felt the slight pressure on her hip. She glanced down, shocked to find it to be a gloved hand. She was just turning her head, first to find out just who this person was and then to berate them for being so forward, but then saw it to be Blood. Alice paused, feeling embarrassment, shock and the slightest bit of joy mixing inside her. Thankfully, she hadn't spoken out, or else Alice would have found herself in a rather awkward situation.

_Think of the devil, and he shall appear,_ thought the dry, removed part of her, while everything else was struggling to form a coherent thought.

"Hello, there," he said, giving her an indecently handsome smirk. His green eyes were dancing with the light from the lanterns and an internal mischievous light that, Alice was sure, only he could produce.

"Hello, Your Highness," she managed to say, and felt the satisfaction of making his smirk lessen a few notches. "I'm glad to see you care to grace me with your presence."

His hand was still on her waist, and the longer it stayed there, the harder she was finding it to concentrate. He was doing this on purpose, Alice was convinced. Blood knew _exactly_ what he was doing to her, and was relishing every second of it.

"Only to ask you if you'd grace _me _with the first dance as my wife."

Alice felt herself gasp ever so slightly, and then nod. Blood smiled, then take the hardly sipped champagne out of her hand and set it on a nearby table. With one swift and elegant step, he had spun her out on the dance floor. The quartet nearby was playing a quiet dance, slow enough for them to keep talking. Before she could get a word out, Alice realized that this was, as Blood had said, her first dance as a married woman. The idea wasn't that important, true, but at the same time...Alice felt the weight of it as though it had settled on her shoulders.

Blood cocked his head, looking at her curiously as they stepped forward and then back.

"Something wrong, Princess?"

"No, nothing, I just...would like to get away from all of the noise," she said, coming up with the lie on the spot. After a moment, she realized that it was true, she had become quite sick of everyone talking, talking, talking, barely taking time for breath. He smiled at her, then tilted his head in so that their foreheads were practically touching.

"I think I may be able to arrange something," he whispered, voice nearly lost in a particularly long note on the violin.

"And how's that?" she whispered back, half closing her eyes.

"If you would care to join me just over there after this next song ends," Blood said, nodding to the mouth of a path off over Alice's shoulder. She glanced around, then nodded to show she knew where he was talking about, "then I would be most obliged to show you."

"Why do I have the feeling that this involves running away from our own party?" asked Alice, and his lips quirked in appreciation for her perception.

"Because it has everything to do with running away from our own party." Alice smiled, murmured a quiet "Okay," into his ear, and the song ended. Blood gave her a courteous bow, and moved off. Alice stepped off of the dance floor, picking up her champagne glass and considering it a moment. With a slight shrug of her shoulders, she took a sip, convinced that she'd need its fortifying bubbliness in a few moments.

Then, casually as she could manage, Alice floated through the crowds to the path Blood had pointed out. She stepped in, heeled shoe sinking into the dirt a trace before she saw Blood, smiling at her conspiratorially. He extended an arm, and feeling entirely playful, Alice took it. Together, they walked farther down the path, which was surrounded by tall hedges.

"I have something that I would like to show you," he told her softly, and Alice looked up at him in surprise. A fleeting moment of doubt went through her- was he intending to show her some horrendous secret of the Dupres? The secret entrance to a torture chamber, perhaps, or a pile of dead bodies that he thought she needed to know about for some obtuse, grotesque reason? But no, as they walked farther into the garden, Alice realized it was something much, much more innocent than that.

They walked under a simple arbor trellis, turned a corner, and Alice gasped.

Before her was Blood's rose garden. She had admired it from afar, with the slightest touch of envy, on some instances, because it truly seemed like this plot of roses received so much more attention from Blood that she did, but the looks through windows had in no way prepared her for _this. _The detail was absolutely breathtaking. The plants had been pruned into hedges, placed in decorative pots and climbing up the sides of gazebos. Most of the flowers were curled up into buds, as it was night, but Blood had managed to find some that opened after the sun went down. The shades varied from dark red to pale peach to dappled white and magenta, and the sizes were just had diverse. There were ones the size of Alice's hand, all the way down to tiny blossoms not even the length of her pinky.

Alice stared at it, open mouthed in absolute delight, looking from the garden to Blood, and back to the garden again. There were absolutely no words in her mind to describe the way she felt, other than "_This is beautiful!_"

Blood laughed when she gasped the words, leading her to a section of just white and red roses, all clustered in front of a simple white gazebo.

"I'm glad you like it," he told her, and she gave out a gasp of laughter.

"_Like_ it? Blood, I think I _love_ it!"

"That's very good," he said, turning to face her. "I was hoping such a special place would match up to your standards."

"Of course, I just- it takes my breath away!" Alice looked up at Blood, and suddenly realized how _close_ he'd gotten. He was only a few inches away, and the way he was looking at her through his lashes, and it was making her heart pound.

_Stop it,_ she thought to herself, _stop it before you do something stupid!_

"Really?" he asked, head tilting down towards her. "That's something I really like to hear. I don't often show people this garden, but when I do..." his voice was just a whisper now, one that seemed to fill her whole soul, "I like it to please."

Alice felt herself tilting her head up to him, eyes beginning to close. His hand had reached up to her cheek, holding it softly. In one moment, Blood's lips were on hers, the softest brush, and her jumping heart was suddenly frozen, making her breath catch. Alice didn't take time to think how much she hated him, or how he was still a cruel, manipulative person, or even how she was starting to get light headed from holding her breath, she just leaned in and kissed him back.

Before she knew it, Alice was kissing Blood again and again and again, her arms around his neck, his hands pulling her closer. One was pressing her head against his, while the other had snaked around her waist, holding her tight. Blood's mouth dragged away from her lips and she gasped, panting as his kissed her jaw, her ear. She'd never been apart of something like this before. Sure, she'd secretly read tales of scandal and passion when no one was around, and of course she'd heard of the numerous affairs different courtiers had had back in the Underlen court, but _this,_ this was so much better than she could have ever imagined.

His breath was hot on her shoulder as she kissed his neck, fingers slipping down to undo his bow tie.

"_Alice,_" he whispered, and he stepped forward, making her step back in turn, pressing her back up against a post of the gazebo behind them. He kissed her on the lips again, gloved hands pulling at the pins in her hair. Alice felt a lock of hair fall down, brushing against her neck, but she could have cared less, more intent on kissing Blood and work his tuxedo off his shoulders.

"Wait," he mumbled into her lips, "wait." Blood pulled his mouth away from hers, and she stood there, confused and out of breath, waiting for him to explain himself. He gave her a smirk, pressing a finger against his lips.

"We might want to do this is a place a little more convenient than a rose garden," he pointed out, and Alice gave a small shy smile, nodding. Blood took her hand, leading her back through the gardens to the edge of the party. She felt giddy and weightless and full of a sort of energy she'd never known. Alice had been happy and even ecstatic before, but compared to how she felt now, she had been a miserable rock, stuck permanently on the ground. Blood kept glancing back at her, casting her conspiratorial smiles, which she returned without a thought as they entered the castle, hurrying through the rooms and up the stairs.

Alice looked around as Blood paused in front of her room, opening the door and stepping in. She took a breath, then followed him into her dark bedroom.

Blood stretched his hand out as if in a dance with her, motioning for her to sit on the bed. She obliged, confidently stepping through the dark to sit on the edge as he closed to door. Blood turned around, and she could just make out of the flash of his breathtaking smile from the shaft of light coming from her window. He strode over to her, getting down on one knee and looking up at her.

"And how is my lady tonight?" he asked in mock formality.

"Quite well, thank you," she replied, trying to stifle a smirk of her own.

"Oh, but how can that be?" Blood's brow furrowed as if not understanding her. "You've clearly been mistreated. Such a radiant princess, and yet the servants haven't come to take your shoes away! You must be frightfully upset."

"Oh, yes, of course," Alice said, making a serious face. Blood had taken her slipper clad foot in his hands, inspecting it in supposed disbelief.

"I guess you'll have to make due with me, instead," he said, unclasping the buckle on her shoe and slipping it off her foot. Alice watched him move on to the other foot and then set both shoes gently off to the side. Blood then stood up, leaning in and putting a hand beside her hip. She heard two soft consecutive thumps, and realized that Blood had just kicked off his shoes.

"I guess I'll have to make due," she whispered as he leaned in, kissing her again. This time, it wasn't as gentle as before, his kisses feeling hungry and demanding. His hands were in her hair, tugging out the hair pins Emily had so carefully put in. There was a heat to him, pouring out of his skin, a fire that Alice wanted to wrap herself up in.

"You are _so beautiful,_" he breathed, the words spilling out across her neck. Blood's fingers were playing at the back of her neck, unclipping her necklace and letting it fall behind her.

"Really?" she managed to get out, and heard him give a small chuckle.

She ran her hand through his black hair as he kissed her mouth, biting her lips. Alice kissed his jaw as he pulled of her gloves, revealing her delicate wedding ring. His hand then undid the back of her dress, pulling it away from her shoulders.

"When you came out, my heart nearly stopped." Alice felt her breath catch as he bit her ear, and her own heart was playing racketball in her chest, probably trying to rip its way loose.

Blood's tuxedo had been removed, his vest hanging off his arm as she undid his shirt buttons, and then the thought of where this all was going hit Alice. Not hit, precisely, it more...popped into her head, and suddenly Alice was scared. Scared and excited and almost beyond caring.

Almost.

Blood kissed her collar bones, tugging the rest of her dress off so she was only wearing her thin shift. The pins that had been in her hair lay scattered on the bed around them, and she expected her hair and makeup looked wild from Blood running his hands and mouth through them.

When Alice felt Blood pulling off her shift, her panic became full scale. She turned her head away, dragging her hands up between him and her. Blood didn't seem to understand at first, as he kept kissing her, licking her earlobe, but Alice pushed him away, hiding her face in her arm. Blood pulled back a few inches, and she just knew he was staring at her.

Alice dragged in a breath, suddenly feeling scared and ashamed and confused and a thousand other things, all mixed up inside. What had happened to all those light, wonderful feelings from moments before? Why couldn't they just come _back?_

"I'm-I'm sorry, I just- I'm not ready for this, I don't-"

"Don't apologize," he said shortly, voice still soft, but there was that edge she hated. It seemed to be condescending and (could it be possible, or was she just imagining it?)..._disgust._ "No one can change how you feel, no matter how hard they may try."

She looked up from her arm, and she could see by the light from her window that he was looking away from her. His shirt was half open and had been untucked, but Alice couldn't feel any of the desire she'd had earlier. Now he just looked wild, like an animal, a powerful storm that could spare or spear her at any second. She swallowed, letting her eyes drop as he gave a harsh sigh. Blood picked up his discarded clothes, and she could just see how tightly he'd fisted his hand around them.

"It'll have to happen sometime, Alice," he said, turning to leave, and she closed her eyes. Alice listened to his footsteps as he crossed her room, opened the door between their room and then closed it again.

She said there, slowly feeling herself growing numb, hearing the vague sounds of the party outside float up to her. After awhile, Alice managed to summon the will to stand up and stumble to the bell pull, summoning Emily. The maid was there within moments, casting her eyes across the room wordlessly, taking everything in.

"I'm sorry to call you so late, you have you wedding and everything tomorrow, but...could you please draw me a bath?" Alice asked, voice weak. Emily looked at her for a moment, then gave her a gentle smile.

"Of course, m'lady. Anything you ask."

Emily hurried into the bathroom, running the water and pouring in the salts and the oils for Alice's bath. Alice followed, leaning against the counter and absently watching the woman work. Her mind was shutting down, it seemed, closing itself off from the heartache and confusion and shame and worry and everything else. With the aid of her maid, Alice undressed, slipping into the tub. She closed her eyes again, listening to Emily clean up the mess she and Blood had made, feeling so incredibly _tired._

Alice wanted nothing, just pure simple _nothing._ She didn't want to have to open her eyes and find that there was still a life she was expected to lead, whether it was here in Heart Palace or the Liddel Castle. She wanted to wake up and find a pearly white _nothing, _that was it.

_Oh, teach me how I should forget to think..._ she thought vaguely, and then felt tears start to slip down her cheeks and splash gently into the bath water.

_**AN aaaaaand only winners toss in a quote from romeo and juliet. **__**BUT AH MAH GASH. DIS CHAPTER. YOU ALL THOUGHT THEY'D BANG EACH OTHER, DIDN'T YOU**_? _**DIDN'T YOU? **_

_**Yes, I thought so. And I encouraged this because I love reading your reactions XD**_


	9. eta, beraz, zerbait negoziatzen da

_**AN OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS. I JUST-I CAN'T EVEN-YOU ALL. ARE SO. FLIPPIN' AWESOME.__I went back and read a bunch of reviews you sent me and started beaming like a little idiot, and I just-I just-I can't-FFFFFFFFF SIMPLY PUT I AM A GIANT FLAILING SQUID OF JOY, 'KAY? A GIANT FLAILING SQUID OF SO MUCH FLIPPIN' JOY THAT MY ABILITY TO 'CAN' IS JUST GONE. POOF. THERE IT WENT. OUT THE DOOR, RIGHT THERE. asdfjkl; how many of you people actually read this nonsense before and after the chapter? i swear i'm on crack reading back through it.**_

Alice had considered her relationship with Blood before to be 'strained'. Now...she didn't know what to call it. In the few days after the party, she had avoided even meeting his eye, but then Alice realized how _stupid _that game was. She really had no reason to tiptoe around him; she'd done nothing wrong, hadn't crossed him as far as she could tell and didn't seem to be preventing any one of his numerous plans. Alice had just...been afraid.

_What a wretched thing, to be sure,_ she thought, resting her head against a window pane. It looked out over the rose garden, and just glancing at it brought back the frantic, flushed moments between them, making her cheeks burn. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his lips on her mouth, her neck, her collar bone...

_No!_ she yelled at herself loudly, _do **not** think those thoughts, no, no, no, no, no, n-_

"Alice?"

She whirled around, cheeks turning an even brighter shade of pink. Peter White stood a few feet away from her, one ear bent in what she guessed was worry.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh, yes, I'm fine, I just-I'm just not myself today." Peter gave her a pleased smile, and Alice felt her heart tug at seeing such a sweet look on his face. It wasn't like the intense energy that had gripped him the previous time they'd spoken, nor the dangerous power he'd wielded when she'd been stolen out of her window, instead it was a powerful..._calm._ She managed a smile in return, kicking out the dark and frenzied thoughts she'd unwillingly been entertaining.

"I hope you get back to feeling normal. I don't think I'd like you as much if you didn't act like Alice."

Alice blinked, remembering what Elliot had said about stealing the Prime Minister's heart. She really didn't have time to figure out if this were true or not, but then again, Elliot wasn't really the type to have poor information.

_I don't have the time or the energy to deal with another admirer..._ she thought as Peter began talking again, then paused. _Another_ admirer? Who was her first? Surely she hadn't been thinking of Blood? So they'd spent some time kissing, and more than a few nights talking by candle light, so what? That didn't make him her _admirer._

...Did it?

"Alice?"

She blinked, realizing that she had utterly missed what Peter had been saying.

"Oh, uhm, I'm sorry. I wasn't really paying attention," she said, trying not to flush further. If this spacing out thing was going to persist, Alice would have a problem on her hands.

"It's alright. I was just saying that your _husband_ sent me to fetch you," Peter said, voice turning sour when he mentioned Blood. Alice cocked her head, panic flashing through her stomach. Blood? He was _asking_ for her? But...but why? She had been so sure that he was angry at her, that he was going to treat her with an awful silent spell like he had after the wedding, so why...?

"Do you know why?"

"No. But do you _really_ want to go talk to him?"

"Ideally, no..." she murmured, running a hand over her face. "But I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"You could always spend time with me, instead!" Peter said excitedly, ears snapping upright. She cast him a look, pursing her lips. Elliot really did seem to be right, regrettably. She'd_ also_ have to deal with the obsession Peter had for her before things got out of hand.

"No, no...I think I better just go," she sighed, shaking her head. "He could make my life _very difficult_ if I don't do what he wants." Alice took a step, then paused, realizing she didn't know where he was. She turned a questioning look on Peter and he sighed as if it hurt him even directing her to Blood, then pointed behind her.

"He's in his study," he said, sounding much like he was sentencing his own death. She thanked him with a smile and left, ignoring his grumbles about infernal princes.

Alice had never actually been to Blood's study, but she had been pointed in the right direction by one of the servants in her days wandering the castle before the wedding. Once she found the right hallway, it was just a matter of walking up to the only room with guards posted at the door and requesting entrance.

She waited quietly as they announced her and opened the doors. Stepping inside, Alice could only hope that this conversation would be as easy as finding the study.

"Prince?" she asked with a slight curtsy, just to annoy him. Then she realized that annoying him wouldn't been in her favor at the moment. They had both realized very quickly that the fastest way to irritate the other was to treat them formally, and had employed this tactic when they saw fit.

Now, however, this little habit might just come back to bite Alice.

Blood glanced up from his desk to her before nodding. His study was rather simple, though beautifully furnished; an adequately sized room with several bookshelves, a desk and three chairs. Other than a few paintings and some lamps, that was about it. Alice decided that she liked this place, with its pale, subtle colored walls and dark wood furnishings.

"Princess, I'm glad you came quickly," he said, picking up the paper he had been working on and setting it on a neat stack to his right. "I have...something I think you'll find important."

She waited, nervous as he straightened, interlacing his gloved fingers. He wasn't wearing his hat or his coat and tails, merely a dark pink vest and collared shirt.

"I received this letter about a day ago," he continued, holding up an already opened envelope for her to take. She moved forward to get it, turning it over in her hands. A slight gasp crossed her as she read the script on the back.

"_This is from my father,_" she said, feeling like there was no air in the room. Had her father figured out that she had been kidnapped by the Artlind royalty? What were his steps to get her back? She knew him, he wouldn't want to start out with violence, instead he'd go with bargaining, maybe even threats, but if that failed...was she important enough to have a siege laid on Artlind? Despite it having been ravaged by seemingly everything from plague to civil war, it quite probably had one of the best military of the time. In fact, if they could just get their internal affairs straightened out, they could very easily conquer the surrounding countries, even Underlen.

"...Yes," he said, watching her with unreadable green eyes. "In fact, it's a response to my own letter."

"Wh-what? When-_how? _But I thought-"

"What did you think, Alice?" Blood asked evenly, and she searched for an answer, yet finding none. She hadn't really thought_ anything_ about his plans regarding her kidnapping and what he meant to do since the wedding. At least, never seriously. Sure, she'd fretted over marrying him and what might happen after, but contacting her father had never been a notion that could have _ever_ been considered!

To Alice, it had felt like they were all playing a great big game, where the Liddels were trying to see just which cup Alice was under, while Blood ran the whole thing. And now that he had openly made contact with them, told them where she was...it felt like Blood had betrayed her. She had thought it was understood that Blood wanted her, and if the Liddels found out where she was, they'd take her back.

If there was one thing Alice _didn't_ want, it was her family swooping in with their cluttered compassion and history and sympathy, trying to scoot her out of Heart Palace with a handkerchief and a few 'poor you's.

She blinked, realizing just how _Artlindish_ that sounded. Had their unfeeling ways rubbed off on her _already?_

Alice noticed Blood's gaze wander from her face to the lower half of her arm, and she glanced down, irritated to find she once again was rubbing her thumb against her forefinger. Clenching her teeth, she forced her hand open and tried to ignore that traces of a smirk on her husband's face.

"Why did you write to my father?" she asked after a moment, trying to make her voice calm. Once the panic and shock disappeared, though, all she felt was rage_._ How could he _do_ this to her? Was Blood just going to hand her off, a wife he wasn't really interested in and tell her family to keep a good eye on her so he wouldn't have to bother himself?

_Meanwhile, he'll probably be having a thousand torrid love affairs with vapid, soulless and supremely boring women,_ she thought bitterly, the idea making her almost as angry as his contacting her father had made her. The memory of his intense, burning kisses on her mouth, her neck leaped into her mind, only, instead of her, they'd be on some other woman. Alice grit her teeth, struggling to keep her face blank. Blood was doing a much better job of this, as she didn't have the faintest idea of what he was thinking.

"Because, Alice, my plans continue on after the wedding."

"Obviously," she said scornfully, then took a breath. "It looks like your sister is right, though."

"...And how is that?" Blood looked at her as though he was unsure of what she where she was going with this.

"You only do things for a tactical advantage, no matter the danger or the damage that might go along with it." He narrowed his eyes, and Alice thought they might drill holes into each other's faces, but then he just smiled, leaning back in his chair.

"Why, of course, m'lady. What _ever_ could have made you think otherwise?"

A thousand things popped into her head, the way he'd stopped for her, just a few days before, how he'd comforted her during the storm, his nightly visits with her when he came in to read...but she could never say those things, _never. _To even _breathe_ a word aloud would mean admitting that he had duped her, played her like a fool, and she was not going to let him have _two_ victories in one day.

"Nothing, really. I just never expected someone to be so..._unfeeling_." Alice took a breath, composing herself once again. "What, may I ask, are these plans you've devised?" Alice tried to keep the stiffness out of her voice, but decided that she failed miserably and might as well just give up. Blood examined her for a moment, then conceded to answer.

"Your family, being the sentimental types, have been frantically looking for you. They can't figure out who took you, and don't have any leads. So, I decided to ease their worry and tell them just where you are."

"_Why?" _she asked, utterly confused. Hadn't the entire plan been to keep her _hidden?_

"Because I don't want my in-laws to think _too_ poorly of me." Blood gave her a dark smile, and Alice held her breath, waiting, waiting. "They now think that we have eloped, and I felt that it'd only be proper to address them once we were properly married."

Her eyes narrowed involuntarily, but Blood didn't seem to notice.

He'd thought it'd only be proper to address her family once the two of them were properly married? It generally took just over a week, at the very best, to get mail from one palace to the other, and that was with the benefit of having a royal messenger going as fast as they could. Two letters had already been passed between him and her father, which meant at least three weeks had passed since the first one was sent. Obviously, Blood had chosen to lie about just about everything, as they hadn't been married for than two weeks.

_The sheer _**_gall_**_ of this man,_ she thought, partially infuriated and partially impressed. _He probably had __started writing the first letter when I first arrived. He didn't even feel the need to **meet **me before starting to lie about me._

"So...how did you explain us eloping when we'd never even met before I came here?" she asked, voice shuddering.

"Letters. Notes passed from ambassador to maid to royalty...it was all a very secret affair."

"Until I just couldn't stand it and begged for us to be married," she whispered. Blood nodded, that self-satisfied smirk not having moved an inch.

Of course he had set things up this way. An elopement, while being rather shameful, was forgivable, so long as she married well and didn't betray anyone. She, and more importantly, Blood, would remain in her family's good graces, granting them direct connections to both the thrones of Artlind and Underlen. If things were to fall accordingly, he could end up on either one, or at least have his claws into the person who did.

Alice felt sick at just how elaborate this whole thing had been. She'd never have guessed he had played things this way, but that was why she was the one who had been kidnapped, wasn't it? If she had just been a little cleverer, she might have foreseen _something_ to prevent all of this.

_But do I really want things to have changed?_ she thought dismally, contrasting her life now and what it might have been.

"And how do you plan to explain the dead maid?" Alice asked coldly, pinning all the proper blame on him for having tossed away a woman's life. "Peter White shot her in the head, probably to keep her from talking. They aren't as fond of murder in Underlen as they are here."

"Yes, that admittedly has caused me some grief," Blood said, scowling. "But in the shuffle to get you out, there was an accident. A guard misfired, hitting the girl instead of what he thought were your assailants. He admitted this upon questioning."

"But none of the guards were there-"

Blood gave her a look that told her to think, and Alice felt like there was ice in her stomach. So, there were even more Artlind spies roaming the Liddel Castle than she'd thought. The safety of her family jumped to her mind, but Alice bit her cheek, telling herself sternly that worrying wouldn't help them.

"Very well," she said, pausing and then asking "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me, Your Highness?"

"Not at all, m'lady. Except...we shall be going to Underlen at the end of the week."

Alice stifled a gasp, biting her cheek to keep words from spilling out. He watched her, eyebrow arched slightly, waiting for her to react, but Alice held it all in, and _would_ keep it all in until she managed to get away from him.

"I'm glad to hear it," she said, bobbing into another curtsy. "I have been dying to see my family for _weeks._"

Alice turned on her heel, not waiting for him to dismiss her, stalking out the door and down the hall. Tears were stinging her eyes, making her vision run, and she just wanted to fall down and start sobbing.

This is what she got for confiding in a cruel monster like him. Alice had so foolishly thought that just because he had comforted her during the storm, that they had shared private, quiet moments in the dead of night that he might have changed, just the smallest bit. She was so wrong it almost _sickening._ He had turned her deepest, most desperate wish into a cruel mockery, tinged and twisted into some selfish, self-serving tactic that'd only help him! Honestly, she'd prefer never seeing her family again to this. How could she possibly meet them, face to face for the first time in almost two months, and then _lie_ to them? Alice was an honest person who hated lies, and now she'd need a whole barrel full to convince them even the slightest bit.

She bit her lip, wondering how she was supposed to counter Blood's latest move.

_**AN BLOOD. WHY YOU NO PLAY NICE? I just...That's it. This officially maxes out his dick-o-meter (am I even allowed to say that? Dick-o-meter? "OTL I don't even know.), and yet, Alice loves him. ALICE. WHY YOU NO LOVE A GOOD GUY? Seriously, these two. (Though...if they were good/loved good people respectively, then they wouldn't be nearly as fun. This we all know)**_

_______**BUT. I am so excited to hear what all of you have to say about this chapter! I have a feeling that it has a more unexpected twist than the previous ones, so I have to see what all of you think. :)**_


	10. ea va ierta, dar nu uita

_**AN This chapter is a whole lot longer than I expected, but it's also a whole lot later, too... OTL It just kept getting left and left and left until, whoops!, I was a week later than I intended. BUT OH MY GOSH, POINT OF NOTE. THIS IS THE TENTH CHAPTER! woot woot dance party all around.  
><strong>_

Alice over saw the packing, trying not to let her feelings burst out of her. A new maid had come to replace Emily, who was out on a brief leave for her wedding. Without a doubt, Alice would be eager to greet the woman when she returned, but with a drop of sadness, she realized it might be weeks later.

The maid, a blonde who had tittered when Alice asked her name but told her nothing, scurried about, packing bag after bag with gorgeous dresses and hats and bonnets and undergarments and a thousand useless things. Alice didn't want pretty _clothes_ taken with her to Underlen, she wanted something to defend herself with, from both Blood and the questions her family had.

_And maybe something to fight back with..._ she thought, distantly watching the maid chat on as she folded one of Alice's stockings and slid it under a dress. She frown and pinched herself. After all, fighting back was probably what put her in this situation in the first place. If she hadn't provoked Blood by continuously talking back, by taking jabs at him whenever she could, maybe she wouldn't be preparing to confront everything she'd left back in Underlen.

"M'lady?" the maid said loudly, and Alice jumped, realizing she'd been trying to catch her attention for a few moments now.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my...ah, my mind was wandering." The maid laughed, and Alice didn't like the knowing look in her eye.

"Not at all, m'lady! Considering the events of the past few weeks, it's quite right for your mind to wander." Alice felt her smile harden as the maid said 'the events of the past few weeks', and wondered what rumors were circulating about her and Blood, feeling irritated that they were imagining far more than what was ever going to happen. Then she realized how silly she was being and told herself to be quiet.

"No, I was just...thinking about my trip. I'm going to be seeing my family for the first time in a long time, and I...I'm just nervous."

"Right. Well, m'lady, I was just asking, would you like to bring these shoes?" She held up a light yellow pair of heels, and Alice looked at them for a moment, trying to assemble her thoughts before shaking her head.

"No...which pairs are already packed?" Alice asked, trying to forget everything weighing on her mind.

The days had passed, one by one, each filled with a flurry of preparations for the trip. And, of course, intense anxiety on Alice's part. She had seen Blood once or twice throughout the week, not because they were avoiding each other for once, but because they each had been so busy. Alice hadn't expected that going on a trip would require her to do so many things, but she felt lucky to get a moment's time to herself. That and there were a number of matters with the mafia for Blood to deal with, according to Elliot. He had managed to squeeze in a couple brief conversations with her, and each time he looked harried.

"Alice, I'm _exhausted,_" he'd told her once, holding what he told her was a carrot muffin in his hand. "I've hardly had time to _eat_, much less sleep! Things are getting..._restless_ over in the southern part of the country."

Alice would have given that detail more attention, had she not been battling her own demons. She wasn't quite sure _why_ she was so terrified of seeing her family again, as she had done nothing wrong, but it felt like she really had betrayed them by eloping to marry Blood. And for some reason...Alice couldn't bring herself to truly blame him.

The day before they were to leave, Vivaldi had demanded that Alice eat breakfast with her. Vivaldi seemed indignant that Blood was whisking her away to Underlen for what might as well have been years in the Queen's eyes.

"We don't want to you _leave _us!" she had pouted, pushing her food around with her fork. "What are we supposed to do with you gone? You're the only cute thing in this court, everyone else is a _gruesome_ bore..."

"Well, Your Highness, I'm sure you'll be able to entertain yourself while I'm gone, you did so before-"

"_Barely."_

"Why don't you try getting to know the King a little more?" she asked, recalling the timid middle-aged man she'd seen wearing the crown. Vivaldi scoffed, taking a murderous bite of strawberry.

"Ha, the _King._ We do _not_ want his company! He is so boring, so _old,_ and _very_ insulting. He hardly ever compliments us, it's just 'The peasants are starving', 'The mafia's becoming unruly', and 'Oh, my Queen, please, don't behead anyone else!' It's outrageous."

"But...do you ever listen to him?" she asked tentatively, feeling a little worried for the sake of the country."

"Yes, yes, we listen," Vivaldi said, waving her and looking irritated. "Well, we listen to everything except the last bit. People need to be punished for displeasing us!"

Alice pursed her lips, distracted from her troubles for a moment in wondering what kind of queen _she'd_ make.

Finally, the day came when she and Blood were to go to her parent's castle. She had been utterly unable to sleep the night before, part of her wishing for sleep and the rest of her wishing that Blood would come in, book in hand, ready to sit at her bedside and talk to her until she drifted off.

She paused before the carriage, glancing back at the staff who had lined up along the walk from the palace steps to the carriage. Then Blood's gloved hand was on her elbow, a silent but very loud command to get in. Biting her lip, Alice stepped in, allowing Blood to help her up. She looked out the window while he gave Elliot a few last minute instructions, his voice a gentle murmur that she couldn't quite understand.

Ordinarily, Alice would have a maid to go along with her, to tend to her while she was in Liddel Castle, but since Emily was out celebrating her marriage, she hadn't really wanted to bring anyone else. Of all the replacements she'd considered, none had the gentle understanding Emily had. They were all soulless creatures, working and talking and not really acting like they cared about her. Plus, they were firmly stuck in the Artlind mentality, not caring much for the safety of anyone else. When talk of Vivaldi's latest execution arose, they had an excited gleam in their eye and talked about how it was an excellent opportunity to wear a new bonnet.

Alice stifled a pang of longing, feeling that it was wrong to wish that Emily would be going with her and Blood instead of being with her new husband.

By the time Blood was in, Alice was in a daze, stupid from a lack of sleep. She felt the lurch as the carriage started to move, taking her closer and closer to her family and her old life, but she didn't care anymore. Her most pressing problem at the moment was having to sit in a confined space with Blood for the next few hours. He was sitting in the seat opposite her, not saying anything, but it felt like she was under high examination, waiting for some terrible verdict.

_I hope he doesn't try anything,_ she thought tiredly, trying to imagine what would happen if she got out of the carriage to meet her family either sobbing or a rather suggestive rumpled mess.

Blood seemed quite content to leave her be, with exception for a few quiet comments.

"Tired, princess?" he asked, and she dragged her eyes over to look at him, sighing slightly as she leaned back against her seat.

"I didn't sleep much last night," she said simply, and he tilted his head back, considering this.

"Go to sleep, then, Alice," he told her. "I'll wake you before we get there."

"Isn't that frightfully rude, though? Your only companion, and yet I'm about to fall asleep."

"I don't mind. The quiet will be nice. I may finally be able to finish my book," he said lightly, and at first Alice thought this was a jab at her, saying she talked too much, but then she realized he was just being kind.

_It's a little saddening that I'm surprised by kindness from him_, she thought, nodding and saying "Thank you, Blood," before resting her head on the carriage frame. It bounced and jittered as the wheels rolled over rocks and uneven patches in the road, but the she didn't mind, as the wall was padded.

"Would you prefer to rest on my shoulder?" Blood asked jokingly, and Alice shook her head, sighing again. He chuckled softly, and she heard the rustling of the pages in a book, then drifted off.

Alice awoke some time later, blinking the sleep away from her eyes. Full on sunlight was streaming through the windows, very different from the weak sunlight that had bid them farewell at Heart Palace. A few moments scrutiny of the land outside told her that they were already in Underlen. She raised her eyebrows in surprise, having expected them to arrive late at night. Even though the ride she'd taken with the Twins and Peter had taken only one night, and even then in bad weather, she had always imagined the trip to be much longer. At this rate, they would be at Liddel Castle in less than two short hours.

She looked over at Blood, who was reading, much farther in his book than he had been the last time she'd seen him with it.

"Is it a good story?" she asked, and he looked up, giving a slight smile.

"Yes, thank you. Though, I must admit, it has taken a rather disagreeable turn."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, privately thinking that it was good for him to have disagreeable turns, even if it was only in books.

"Did you have a good nap?"

"I suppose. I can't really recall." She smiled slightly, then looked back out the window. The mountains rose around them, the thin pines and other tough growth replaced with more lush vegetation.

"Are you nervous?" he asked suddenly, and she swiveled her eyes to look at him. His expression wasn't giving anything away, and she returned to looking at the mountains, saying "Yes. I can't think of anything else but what they'll say to me when I get there."

Alice waited for him to say something like '_Well, this _**_was_**_ what you wished for. It's not m_y _fault you suddenly changed your mind'_ but he didn't say anything for a moment. When he finally spoke it was to ask "Why _do_ you think they'll say?"

"What will they say?" she repeated, and despite having dwelt on it for at least two days, Alice was at a sudden loss for words. "My parents...I don't know. It could be anything, it really could. And I don't think I'm ready to answer anything."

"Do you remember the story?"

She gave a bitter laugh, eyes turning hard but not leaving the window.

"Yes, prince. I had been seeing you secretly for some time, asking and asking for you to marry me, and finally you agreed. We settled on an elopement to Artlind, where we married immediately. Upon our return to Heart Palace, you wrote to my father, explaining our actions and begging his forgiveness. He did end up forgiving both of us, and has allowed us to stay at Liddel Castle for…how long?"

"Two weeks," he said, and she nodded. "Very good. I was worried that your memory might have lapsed from in the chaos of preparing for the trip."

Alice clenched her teeth, irritated that he'd indirectly suggested that she would spill everything to her family. Like she'd be so _faithless_.

She caught her breath, realizing what that was tantamount to saying. Blood didn't comment further, and as they neared the castle, Alice felt herself become more and more nervous.

She tried imagining what she'd say to her family first, how she'd greet them, and Linden! Alice felt sick at the thought of the man that she, not too long ago, and felt so passionately for. It was strange, how easily he had been replaced by the worries that accompanied being Blood's wife. If she was honest, Alice hadn't even thought about the man since the night of her wedding.

_This will be interesting,_ she thought, feeling her breath come faster and faster. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blood move, put down his book, maybe, and then suddenly he was crossing over to sit by her.

She whipped her head around to stare at him, shocked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"Calm down, my lady," he said softly, right in her ear, and Alice felt herself flush, staring at his former seat because she couldn't manage looking at him without turning into an utter mess. "It won't be good if you collapse just as your family sees you."

"I'm not going to collapse," she said shortly, trying to cover her embarrassment with anger, but it sounded half-hearted, even to her. She glared out the window, but then felt her heart leap into her throat as she saw the spires of Liddel Castle. Had the coach really been going that fast, or had she miss judged the distance?

Alice wasn't ready for this, not remotely ready, she wanted to run away. This was the scariest thing she'd done by far, even compared to her wedding. It took her a moment to realize that she had been pressing back into Blood, hand having reached over and grabbed the front of his vest. She gasped, turning to face him, finally, her wide eyes meeting his cool green ones.

She tried to pull away, but Blood kept her there, arm pinning her to his side.

"It's alright, Alice," he said, voice still in that gentle tone he'd used earlier. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." She stared at him, mind so flustered she didn't know _what_ to think.

"I just…I don't want them to hate me," she admitted, her brain latching onto the thought and making her spit the words out. "I don't know if…I'll be able to handle it if I…if they do."

He considered this, then hugged her, pressing her face into his chest. She was stiff in his arms, not wanting to say something that would make him change back into the harsh, cruel Blood she knew too well.

All too soon, the coach was slowing. Alice dragged fearful eyes to the window once more, breath stopping altogether as she saw her old home, Liddel Castle, big as day before her. The carriage road through the front gate, up the white path to the front of castle, giving her a brief view of a set of servants and the royal family, all waiting in line.

_All waiting for us,_ she thought, and almost burst into rather hysteric laughter. _Keep it together, Alice, keep it together! Just get out and start talking, that's all you need to do! If you get that far, you'll manage it!_

Alice pulled away from Blood, sitting erect and clenching her skirts so tightly she thought her hands might break. Blood's hand settled over her's, and a sudden, startling thought entered her head.

What if Blood was just playing nice to gain her favor? He'd really pulled a stunt, deciding to both write to her father and to have the two of them come here. There was no way she could have perceived it other than an insult to her and a very, very clever tactical play. In one stroke, he had degraded her wishes to practically nothing, while simultaneously insinuating the roots of affection into her family, beginning the path for him to gain access to the thrones of Underlen and Artlind. This entire thing could be an act, speaking so gently to her, offering contact that would have otherwise been utterly off limits. Alice closed her eyes, shutting those thoughts away for a time when _wasn't_ about to have a mental breakdown.

The carriage stopped and instinctively Alice squeezed Blood's hand, staring at the door like a death sentence was about to come through it. The door did open, though it was just the footman. He bowed respectfully, stepping aside as Blood got up, exiting the coach. He turned back to look at Alice, eyes telling her that it was her turn now. She held her breath, standing up as well and stepping over to the door. Taking his hand, she got down, staring at the ground. But then, like a magnet to metal, her gaze was pulled up against her will to look at her family.

They were just as she remembered; her father, bearded, tall and powerful, though with kind eyes. Her mother stood with a posture Alice had envied since she was a girl, and even now there was a slight smile playing around her lips. And Lorina, just looking at her wonderfully sweet sister calmed her, somewhat. She smiled brightly at her , makeup just so, like Vivaldi, though with the queen, it was to make her look fierce and exotic, but Lorina looked beautiful and delicate. Then there was Linden, arms behind his back like he was a military official. Looking at him now, she even fathom the adoration she had just barely a month ago.

Each one of them bore signs of worry, more grey in her father's beard, her mother with a slight weariness about her face, and Lorina with the barest trace of bags under her eyes. Linden's smile was strained, like he didn't trust her. Or at least, didn't trust Blood.

They were just feet away, and Alice had to suppress the urge to run over, sobbing and apologizing for making them worry. Instead, she took measured steps towards them, biting her cheek to keep herself contained. Her father looked like he might break seeing her again, and as she got nearer, he took long steps to meet her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"_Alice_," he breathed, a trace of tears in his voice, "I thought I'd _lost_ you..." She blinked, tears starting to pop up as she looked at his gentle gray eyes. She hugged him back, painfully aware of Blood's eyes on her back.

They pulled away from each other, and Alice looked at the rest of her family, her mother nodding tearfully, Lorina beaming as she brought a handkerchief to her mouth, Linden's smile softening into something real.

"I...I'm so, _so_ sorry," she whispered, and it felt like everyone exhaled. That was it, she was done. She had gotten her first words out, and from then on, Alice knew she'd be able to deal with whatever questions they had for her. She would be able to fabricate anything to go with Blood's lie.

She looked back for him and saw him stepping towards them, and she caught his eye for a brief moment before he stopped before her father.

"King Alexander," he said respectfully, bowing slightly and offering a hand. The king hesitated for the briefest moment before taking it, shaking his head.

"Prince Blood, you...you've returned my daughter to me," he said, voice breaking. "_Thank you."_

Blood nodded and turned to the queen, who smiled again.

"I wish I had known about your relationship with my daughter, so that we could do things properly, but still. No harm in the end." Blood smiled back as he bowed over her hand, then moved on to Lorina.

Alice anxiously watched each exchange, terrified someone would shout that he had actually kidnapped her and needed to be shot. Thankfully that didn't happen, and soon enough they were walking up the steps, talking quietly.

They had hardly gone a few steps when her mother said "Oh, Alexander, dear, why don't you take your son-in-laws to the study? It would do you three some good to really _talk_."

The king raised his eyebrows, and Alice felt her stomach sink.

"Of course, so long as they are willing to come with me." He looked to Blood and Linden who both nodded and smiled, though, to Alice, it seemed that Blood was a little too smug for the situation.

She watched them, worried, not liking the idea of Blood speaking to her father without her supervision. Her attention was pulled away when her mother linked arms with her, and Lorina grabbed hold of her shoulder.

_"Alice!_" her mother practically squealed, and Lorina started giggling like a little girl. Alice stared at them, utterly bemused as they started gushing things like '_So you left to get married!' _and 'Oh, Alice, _he's so handsome!'_ and even 'I always thought that the Prince of Artlind was rather harsh, but if he _married _you...'

She raised her hands, trying to get them to slow down, or, better yet, talk one at a time, but they just kept chattering and walking, leading her to one of the gardens.

"_Wait!_" she finally gasped, and they fell silent, smiling knowingly at each other like they shared a great secret. "I can't...I don't know what to say!"

"Start out with how you even _fell_ for him!" Lorina told her, blue eyes wide. "You've never even met, and I've only seen him in passing! And he looked so cold, all clever schemes and using people, and then he goes and _elopes_ with you! When'd it all start, how'd _he_ start falling in love with you?"

"Well..." Alice began, thinking back to what Blood had told her the story was. She sighed, putting a hand to her head and trying to act properly embarrassed. She certainly had the overwhelmed back down already. "It...the Prime Minister of Artlind. He...he told Blood about me, I guess. I mean, he'd heard about me just like we'd heard about him-"

"Oh yes, you were _quite_ famous, the sarcastic, outspoken princess of Underlen. I bet you swept him _right_ off his feet!" her mother teased, and they settled her on a stone bench. Around them was a swathe of pink and yellow flowers, and they managed to settle the remnants of her nerves. She gave her a face, but then went back to her story.

"And then Blood became interested and he...he sent me a note!" she said, just seeing the story appear in her mind, feeling the surprise and excitement at receiving the letter. "He gave it to the Prime Minister, and then Peter, he gave it to me. And it just...went on like that. It was so...so secret, so hush-hush, I was just terrified that you'd find out and hate me! He _is_ Artlind's prince, after all, and Lorina, you said it yourself, you thought he was awful!"

"I didn't say awful," Lorina corrected, and her mother hugged Alice tight.

"Oh, Alice, we would have been shocked and surprised, of course, and I can't deny that we would have urged you to really think about it, but there's no way we would been mad at you! When we heard the shouts and the gunshot the night you left-" Her mother broke off and put a hand to her mouth. "I was so scared, I thought that you-that someone tried to take you. And then, Alice, when we saw the _maid..._even though it was just an accident, I couldn't help but think what if that had been _you..."_

Alice held her mother's hand, feeling all the guilt that she wasn't responsible for. Blood was the one who had devised this whole scheme, had ferreted her out of her window right down to coming up with those impressive lies about it all, it was he, he was the one who was supposed to feel all of the shame and pain for it! But Alice knew he never would. It was Blood, and that was just how he worked. He'd make his move, collect the reward, and leave someone else to deal with the aftermath.

"I feel terrible about that. When I heard...I felt awful. I wanted to come back immediately, but Blood said that it would be better if we go word to you, explained ourselves, it would be better. I'm just...I'm so sorry that I made you all worry, but I wanted to get married so bad..." She trailed off, surprised to find that she was blinking away tears. Her throat was closing up, and Alice had to bite her cheek to keep from gasping. Part of the reason was because she felt truly sorry and remembered the horror of that awful stormy night, but also because she hated having to lie, especially for Blood. Lies were ugly things that didn't belong in such a wonderful country as Underlen.

The three of them finished talking in the garden, Alice's mother and sister pumping her for answers about the wedding, what Blood was like, if she was glad to be home, if briefly, and what it felt like to be married.

"I never thought that you would be married before me!" Lorina laughed, and Alice turned to her mother, remembering something she had said earlier.

"Wait, didn't you say that...Linden was your son-in-law, too?"

"Oh, well, yes. He's not _actually_ my son-in-law, yet, but...See, Alice, not long after you left...we moved up the date. Instead of it being in the spring, it's going to be in the early fall." Alice's eyes widened in shock; fall was just around the corner. A few weeks, that was it!

She laughed, turning to her sister and grabbing her hands. Lorina gave a small laugh in turn, looking embarrassed but smiling shyly.

"I know you were already engaged, but this-this is so much more immediate!" The three of them laughed, and her mother mentioned how they had better be going inside.

"Your father decided there'd be a feast tomorrow-none of the court was invited," she added, giving a considerate smile to Alice, who felt momentarily confused. Why wouldn't the court be there? It was the homecoming of the runaway princess, wouldn't they be dying to see her? Then Alice remembered that she wasn't in Artlind anymore, where the nobles were absolutely in love with her. She was in Underlen, where they looked down on her, the second, sub-par princess.

She pressed her lips together, feeling mildly irritated, but not the bitter anger she'd felt only a month before.

_My how I've changed,_ she thought, a little pleased with this idea. She shrugged at her mother, asking "When _will_ I have to see them?"

"Probably tomorrow. If you and your husband are up to it, I think your father wants you to make an announcement to the people. They _do_ so love, they were absolutely distraught when they found out you were missing."

Alice smiled, nodding as they walked back into the castle, and found that she was holding her breath. She let it out gently, feeling the butterflies in her stomach start up again. She'd almost made it through the first day, which would be the worst, she was sure. If she could just get to her room, get to sleep, then she'd be happy.

Her mother lead her up to the west wing, where her new room was, and Lorina said that she had to go and speak to some courtier about the guest list for the wedding. Alice hugged her sister again and let her go, feeling suddenly like she might lose her sister if she let Lorina out of her sight. She bit her cheek, called herself stupid and continued up with her mother. They paused by her door and her mother held Alice's shoulders, looking at her face. She sighed slightly, a slight smile on her face.

"Alice...you've turned into such a lady. I never would have imagined, had I not seen it. Just tell me...is he treating you well? Your husband, I mean. He'd have to be a good person for you to like him, and he's certainly handsome, but you never know. Artlind has _such_ a terrible history with the royals, and I'd hate it if you..."

"Mother," she said clearly, feeling herself freeze. Her mother was wandering a _little_ too close to the truth for her taste. "It's _fine._ I'm glad you're worrying about me, but I...I love Blood. I wouldn't have married him if I didn't, and I'm not going to let _anyone_ hurt me, no matter how appealing." Alice gave her mother a reassuring smile, and she nodded, looking suddenly old, worn out. Alice felt sick, wondering if _she'd_ caused her mother to change so much.

"Alright. If you need anything, something to eat, another pillow, anything, remember, you can just...call a maid."

Alice smiled at her mother, feeling sad that she was being treated like a guest, not a resident of the castle.

"I'm fine. See you in the morning, Mother."

The Queen left, and Alice stepped inside the room, leaning against the door after it was closed. She sighed, feeling exhausted. She didn't want to do this anymore, it was all too much. If she had to keep up this charade for _two weeks..._Alice just knew she'd collapse.

"Long day, Princess?"

Alice whipped around to stare at Blood, who had his eyebrows raised at her as he pulled off his shoes. She flushed, remembering the last time they'd been alone in a bedroom together, and shook her head.

"Not really I just...the last few hours were the long ones."

"I see. It seems that your worries were fruitless, thankfully. Your family has taken you back with open arms - at least until we leave. Though, your sister's fiance is another matter."

"Linden?" she asked, voice tight. Speaking about her past love with Blood was awkward, at best. Blood's gaze told her that he guessed there was something special about Linden to Alice, or at least there had been at some time. How long it would take before he found out, Alice could only guess.

"Yes. The dear archduke is a little more suspicious about me than I'd like. Apparently, he's heard a lot about Artlind and the tragic goings on." Alice briefly wondered if he was referring to the long streams of executions Vivaldi ordered, or the mafia, or maybe even the suspicious death of Blood's father. She held her hands, acutely aware of the ring that was stationed there.

"I believe he even alluded to the mafia having corrupted the court. Ridiculous, don't you think?" Blood gave her a small smile, like they were sharing a delicious dark secret.

"Yes, ridiculous," she said faintly, suddenly wondering if there was someone listening in on their conversation.

She bit her lip, then went to the luggage that had been dropped off while she was out talking with her mother and sister. The prospect of having to sleep in the same bed as Blood was worrying, say the least. Alice searched through to find her nightgown, deciding to just undress herself and not bother with calling a maid.

She headed to the bathroom, ignoring Blood's look as she locked the door. Alice glanced at herself in the mirror, frowning at how tired she looked. No wonder her family had asked her how she was so many times. Hopefully her insistence that she was fine would allow them to write it off as exhaustion from the trip. What she really needed was a good night's sleep...which she was worried wouldn't happen with Blood around.

Alice splashed water on her face and told herself to shut up and change. She wasn't going to last long if she wore herself out thinking about every single bad thing that could happen to her.

She reached around and undid the lacing on her bodice, and after a few moments she was able to step out of it. Alice pulled off her under skirts and pulled on her nightgown, chewing on her cheek. Despite having told herself to stop worrying, there was one thought that persisted; what would Blood decide to do once they were in bed together? It might not have weighed so heavily on her before the party, but now...

_Only one way to find out,_ she thought, carefully gathering up her clothes and opening the door. _And if he does try anything, I could always bite his hand or something..._

Alice hid her quirked smile from Blood as she put the most of the clothes on the back of a chair, while the undergarments went back into her trunk. She turned around and stopped short, eyes locked on Blood. He was sitting on the edge of the large bed, and his chest was mostly exposed. He had begun to change while she was in the bathroom, and Alice suddenly felt him become alarmingly attractive. To her further embarrassment, she felt her cheeks grow warm, brightening into an unmistakable blush.

"Yes, Alice?" he asked innocently, hiding a devilish smile of his own. She straightened and tilted her head back, showing that she really didn't care what he thought, and then tossed in a dash of contempt at his games for good measure. This only seemed to amuse him further, and Alice stalked to the other side of the bed, yanking back the blankets and threw herself in. She heard Blood chuckle and finish changing, but she kept her back to him and hers squeezed shut. Alice had tugged the blankets up to her chin and laid rigid as a board, trying to be as uninviting as possible.

She heard him move around, turning down the lamps and blowing out the candles until it was considerably darker. She relaxed a little, but a few moments later she felt the covers be pulled back. Blood climbed in then pulled the blankets back up, and Alice bit her cheek again, suddenly nervous. She felt Blood settle himself, then put an arm around her.

Alice froze, breath held as he whispered "Goodnight, my princess. You did marvelous today."

As if against her will, Alice rolled over to face him. She couldn't see the green of his eyes in the gloom, but she could make out his messy patch of dark hair.

"Do you think so?" she whispered, needing his reassurance for some reason.

"Of course. I expected nothing less of you."

Blood kissed her, gently brushing his lips against her's. Alice's eyes widened, but that was it, one kiss and he was gone, pulling back to his own pillow.

_This is going to be interesting indeed._

_**AN This chapter is a little boring to me. I really don't know where I got all the words to make it so long. Nothing really happens OTL OTL OTLLLLLLLLL Welp, either way, tell me what cha think~**  
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	11. siúl go héadrom, mo stór

_**AN This entire chapter came on spur of the moment ideas, and I'm really pleased with it! I didn't have a lot of this section planned out, so I'm glad I can come up with something decent to make it flow.**_

_**And to everyone who reviewed/faved/alerted the story, ah mah gash thank you thank you thank you! It's so encouraging, I adore it so much. Oh, and the chapter title is in Irish.  
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Alice kept her eyes shut, despite being awake. It was so much better to just lie there, in her warm bed without a thought rather than get ready for another long, wearisome day.

If she let herself play pretend, then Alice could just imagine that she had never left Liddel Castle. Blood had never ordered for her kidnap, she had never married him, it was all an awful dream that she had just woken up from.

And for a few, beautiful moments...she believed it. She had simply had nightmares accompanying the storm during the night, and now she had woken up from it to golden sunshine.

Then Blood shifted, and shattered that precious, precious moment. Though, she had to admit, she could weave another, where Blood was allowed to be laying beside her, no strings attached.

She took a breath, still afraid of what her family thought. Granted, Alice had made it through the first day, but their questions had been so broad, so _vague._ Surely they'd become pickier the longer she stayed with them...

Alice felt Blood's warmth on her back, and knew he was close. She rolled over, staring at his sleeping face and felt the barest moment of envy. _He_ didn't have to put up with all of the worry and fear and the mind numbing anxiety she did. No, he just flashed that winning smile of his, made pleasant small talk and was sold. Honestly, if the circumstances surrounding Alice's disappearance hadn't been so sketchy, her family would probably have grabbed him up the moment he stepped out of the carriage.

She pursed her lips, unable to stay mad at him for too long. It was incredibly difficult to hate such a passive face. When he woke up and gained that awful smirk, however, then Alice would be fully entitled to hate him as much as she wanted.

"I can feel you staring," Blood murmured, not opening his eyes, and Alice rolled her eyes.

"It could always be your imagination," she whispered back, and he smiled. There was a slight pause, and then he whispered "You know, you're doing remarkably well."

"Oh, yes, you told me last night." She gave a small smile, remembering the quiet kiss he'd given her directly after that, then told herself to not think about that, because she'd surely say something stupid if she did. "Even though I told myself that I'd be fine after the first day...I'm still so anxious."

"What?" Blood asked, opening eyes to show a look of confusion on his face. Alice noticed the smallest of quirks on his lips and sensed something was coming. "I was talking about being in the same bed as me. Last time, we weren't even under the _blankets_ and you practically threw me off."

Alice felt herself go scarlet and let out a strangled yelp. She buried her face in the sheets, absolutely horrified that he'd even _mention_ that.

Blood laughed and said "Relax, princess. It was just a jest," and she pulled the sheets back from her eyes to shoot him a look that said she was _not_ amused. That just made Blood laugh harder, and she groaned, thinking that she would probably never be able to best Blood, no matter how hard she tried.

Her gaze wandered over to the grandmother clock sitting against the wall, which told her it was almost half past eight. She pressed her lips together, waiting for Blood to stop laughing. He finally stilled, green eyes shining with suppressed mirth.

Alice remembered the night of the party, and again felt such embarrassment at the countless ridiculous things she'd done. How _could _she have done all those things? It was very unlike her, and she'd even scoffed and mocked those who let themselves go with gay abandon during a party. Had she been drunk? Alice had certainly taken a few sips of champagne, but not _that_ much...besides, that didn't even feel like being drunk, which Alice had regrettably experienced all of once and then swore it off for the rest of her life.

But then...there was also the possibility that she had been drunk on something _other_ than alcohol...

Alice sat up, desperate to get into the bathroom, where Blood wasn't allowed to keep making fun of her. What she really needed was some really, _reall_y cold water tossed on her face and at least an inch of solid oak door between her and him. That would clear her head, or at least help.

"Did you mother say anything about an event today?" Blood asked, still lying down.

"Ah...yes. There was to be a banquet tonight, and...she said something about making a public announcement to the people about my visit."

"That's good," he murmured, green eyes losing their light humor. Alice felt ice drop down her back as she watched how fast he could go from joking to calculating his next move.

She stood up, reaching over to tug on the bell pull to summon a maid. Blood had started getting up as well, and Alice held her breath, readying herself for the day ahead.

A few hours later, Alice was sitting in the library, staring out the window. Breakfast had passed without serious event, she and Blood had mostly been peppered with questions by her family as they ate, though she might have detected something a little sharper in Linden's words. But Alice then thought that could have been her increasing paranoia. Blood's words had taken root in her brain, and she found herself constantly over analyzing whatever Linden did.

_Just when I finally stop worrying about what Blood's saying, I'm obsessed with Linden..._ she thought, sighing slightly.

It was almost funny, thinking of how she had been so..._smitten_ with him. Before her kidnap, Linden had been handsome and intelligent, witty yet kind and always willing to speak to her, unlike the other courtiers. While none of this had changed about the man, Alice simply found...he didn't really matter. It almost made her wonder if she had ever loved him at all, as a real love wouldn't have evaporated in a few mere weeks.

_Now...he's simply a threat,_ she thought dismally, dragging her eyes to her book. She had started it a few days before being taken to Artlind and had been unable to find it in the Heart Palace library. When she'd remembered it right after breakfast, she'd been excited, but now she could only think tactics and social positions.

If this kept up, Alice was sure she would scream. She much preferred not having a political care in the world, even if it mean being highly immature.

There was the sound of footsteps and she looked around, hardly surprised to find it was Blood.

"Nothing else to do?" she said, and he smiled and responded with "That's hardly surprising, now is it? There is _nothing_ to do in this place."

"Hard to play when work's away?" she asked and he sat down next to her, shrugging. "I'm actually surprised," Alice continued, shifting to get a better look at him.

"And why is that, princess?"

"Because you're always going on about things that are 'interesting' or 'entertaining', and yet when you're not dealing with Artlind's problems, you hardly know what to do with yourself."

"Now, that's not true," he said, leaning towards her and resting his arm behind her. She raised an eyebrow in disbelief and he smirked. "Alice, come on now. You must know that I brought the most interesting thing I could find with me."

"And that is?"

"You, of course."

"Oh yes, of course," she said, coupling it with a delicate snort of disbelief. Blood leaned a little closer, taking a strand of her hair in his fingers, and she clenched her hand in her skirts, making sure he couldn't see. She had gotten better at being able to banter with him and not allowing her emotions get the better of her (that only lead to tears, though they varied from enraged to distraught), but she couldn't say the same for his flirting. That was still abominably difficult to ignore.

"It's true," he said, looking serious. "Books get boring once you read them several times, and the rest of the people in Heart Palace are woefully lacking in the complexity department. All rather shallow."

_I know what you mean,_ Alice thought, remembering how self-obsessed they all had been, and thinking only of immediate, physical things. Instead of saying this, she said "Well, you could have always brought the Queen along. That would certainly make things interesting."

"Oh, heavens no," he said lightly, and this time, it was his turn to give a soft snort. "Can you imagine the impression she'd make? There's a reason I never came here before. She'd have insisted on coming with me, so I had to come up with a proper excuse of leaving her behind. Plus, she'd be demanding executions all over the place and throwing tantrums when they weren't carried out."

"Not to mention you'd be at each other's throats the moment the carriage doors closed," she remarked, making his lips quirk. Aside from her first meeting with Vivaldi, she had seen the Dupre siblings together a sparse handful of times. Once at breakfast, twice at tea, and then at a meeting with the mafia that neither Alice nor Vivaldi had actually taken a part of, just supervised. Or rather, Vivaldi supervised while Alice was commanded to stay with her to 'add something cute to the brutish scenery'.

Even though Vivaldi and Blood hadn't actually spoken to each other, there were enough veiled comments, murderous looks and not so quiet scoffs to do the job.

Blood didn't respond to Alice's comment, instead choosing to look off down one of the library aisles, making her laugh.

"Oh, Prince, I've got you _all_ sorted out," she laughed, and he looked back at her, making Alice catch her breath with a suddenly sultry gaze. She closed her mouth, clenching her hand even tighter. She hated it when he did that. How was she supposed to both shield herself from his comments as well as counter with her own when with one look he utterly disarmed her?

"I don't doubt it," he whispered, tilting his head so that their foreheads touched. She took a breath, pushing through the urge to pull away.

_I used to hate you,_ she though randomly, then blinked in surprise when she realized the words had spilled out like beans from a tipped jar. Blood blinked as well, a surprise not too different from her own fluttering across his face. Then a darker look she couldn't quite put a name to replaced it, and Alice felt a lurch in her stomach. Had she just said something that would make him turn nasty?

"I don't doubt it," he repeated, and then he was suddenly kissing her, hand holding her shoulder. Alice felt herself gasp in surprise, and she was frozen for a moment before she began kissing back. It was a blur of hurried breathing and his lips on hers and her hand was suddenly on his neck and then in his hair and Alice could hardly think about anything other than _kissing him._

Alice's book slid off her lap and thumped to the floor, but she hardly even noticed as Blood's mouth skimmed her jaw, landing on her neck. It was only the slight gasp that came from several feet away that jerked Alice out of her stupor.

She glanced around, eyes widening in mortification as she saw her sister, Lorina, standing in the mouth of the aisle Blood had just been looking down. She looked shocked, say the least, as well as embarrassed for having seen such an obviously private moment between Blood and Alice. Lorina cleared her throat and barely managing to mumble something about having forgotten a book as she took a step back, then another and another until she turned, walking very quickly back the way she came.

"_Lorina!_" Alice gasped, making Blood look around, and then Alice was jumping up and running after her sister, casting a confused and worried look at Blood, asking if she were doing the right thing. Blood just shook his head, shaking in silent laughter. The last thing she saw of Blood was him leaning down to pick up the book that had fallen off of her lap.

Alice caught up with her sister in the hallway outside of the library, and she called her name, speeding up. Lorina glanced back, step faltering as if she still wanted to get away, but also wanted to hear what Alice had to say.

Once she was a few steps away, Alice suddenly realized she had no idea what to say to Lorina. She didn't even know why she'd run after her, other than a vague desire to explain herself, like she had done something. But...she hadn't. Sure, it would have been better if they had been kissing in a much more private part of the castle than the library, but Alice wasn't breaking any rules, not betraying anyone...so why did she feel so wary?

They stood in silence for an agonizing moment, before Alice cleared her throat and said "Well, uhm, sorry." Lorina shook her head, a slight smile crossing her lips.

"No, no, I should be apologizing, I...walked in unannounced."

Alice smiled back, wondering what on earth she must seem like to Lorina. She, the younger sister, who had been in love with Linden, Lorina's _fiancé_, so intensely Alice couldn't even be in the same _room_ as them, had apparently eloped with the questionable prince of Artlind. Shame flooded her, turning Alice's cheeks a deeper red. No wonder Lorina couldn't hold her eye, she probably thought Alice was a desperate flirt, ready to throw herself into any relationship that seemed to promise an indecent intensity.

"No, I...shouldn't have let that happen. Just think, what...what would Father say?" Alice asked, smiling weakly. Lorina nodded, giving a light laugh and hiding her mouth behind her hand.

"Or Linden, or even worse - _Mother!_ She'd never let you hear the end of it. Years later, I bet she'd be telling your children about how she caught you two in the library!"

Alice's laugh fell short at the last comment, and she felt her blush instantly drain away, probably leaving her face stark white.

_Of all the things she could have said..._

"Yes...I imagine it would be something like that," she murmured, looking away. There was another moment of silence, and then Lorina unexpectedly said "Alice, I'm just glad that...that you mean it."

"Mean what?" she asked, confused. Lorina turned and began walking, and Alice hurried to catch up to her.

"Mean...being married to the prince. I mean, being...in love with him. I just...we weren't sure, no one was, your disappearance was just so abrupt, so strange, and then Father's being written to by the Prince! Linden..."

"What did Linden say?" Alice asked, suddenly worried.

"Oh, nothing, he simply...has doubts. He says he's had some dealings with the people of Artlind, and they haven't been good. He's afraid the same goes with your husband, and that he's responsible for something sinister."

"What? Who has Linden dealt with from Artlind? A few people aren't going to reflect the country," Alice said, worry growing into panic.

"I don't know his name, he just mentioned some man with wavy orange hair. And he had those strange animal ears people from Artlind have sometimes. Apparently he was with the mafia."

_Elliot..._ Alice thought, without so much as a flicker of a doubt in her mind. She put on a bright smile, wondering what on earth Elliot had done to Linden and said "Oh, well, that explains it! The mafia's going to have bad dealings with _anyone._ Tell him not to worry, they're being dealt with."

Lorina nodded, but didn't look convinced.

"I did, but I'm worried, too. When I look at you, I...don't see my little sister. The one who threw tantrums and talked back to the Duke of Clarmont and took time to talk to the peasants. When I look at you...I see someone who's grown so old, who's always thinking about things so deep she doesn't hear you the first time you say her name, who is so clever when she speaks and suddenly understands so much about the political workings of a country. And when I see that, I'm afraid, because I don't know if you naturally changed, being away from us, or if you changed because...you had to, for your own well being."

Alice frowned, thinking that Lorina had more or less hit the nail on the head. She _had_ been forced to change, being surrounded by the shallow and dangerous people of Artlind. If she said the wrong thing around Blood, he'd make her pay. If she ignored the countless executions caused by Vivaldi over a pretty new dress, pretty soon, _she'd_ be taking Vivaldi's place as the childish and barbaric queen.

But Lorina could never know, not if she ever wanted peace between her family and her husband.

She forced herself to give a small laugh, raising her hand to hide her mouth.

"Are you sure that's it, or is it because the me from a few months ago wouldn't be kissing _anyone_ like I was a few moments ago?" she asked with what she imagined was the proper amount of sheepishness, and Lorina stared at her, then broke into a surprised, easy laugh.

"You're right," she giggled, "That might just be it!"

Alice smiled, a small part of her hurting from lying to her sister so easily. As they continued walking, she couldn't help but wonder where that close bond she'd shared with her sister had gone.

_**AN Aliiiiiiiice~ You're falling in love with Bloooooooooood~ This is something I liiiiiiiiiike~ Just...just keep doing that, for the rest of the story, 'kay?**_

_**Ah, Lorina! It's kind of weird writing for her, but at the same time, so easy. I'm not really sure why.**_

_**I looked back at the party chapter for reference in this chapter, and can I just say, I am very impressed with myself? The entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking 'I am such an awesome troll...' Seriously. I now completely understand the outrage that chapter caused XD  
><strong>_


	12. bagay ay tumira

_**AN I was a little worried when I wrote this chapter, because I had didn't have much planned for it, which is why it's shorter than usual. But still, it's here, and things are happening.**_

Alice wasn't really sure how she made it through the next few days. The feast was just as awkward as the breakfast, only with more ceremony and trying to avoid the knowing smiles of Blood and the awkward looks of Lorina. Linden also posed a problem, as Alice felt that there was an unprecedented coldness in his voice when he spoke to her. And she had to wonder if Lorina had told him about catching them in the library.

It was, to say the least, a mortifying thought.

After that, it was really just a matter of dodging the snarky comments of the nobles and trying to act as normal as possible. At her parents request, she and Blood rode through the nearby city, waving at the commoners. Alice enjoyed feeling the swoop of joy in her stomach when she saw their bright, excited faces, and a more questionable swoop when she saw Blood, riding so elegantly on his horse.

But, despite how exhausting each day was, with her trying to keep up the front, watching over both Blood and Linden as well as keep Blood from speaking to the Underlen courtiers, Alice found the time flying. Before she knew it, a week had passed.

In a blink, Alice found herself sitting at a table in the garden, breathing in the scent of honeysuckle and grass. She was having an evening tea party with Blood, Lorina and Linden, and thankfully, the tension had been a bit lower than usual. Though, it was now _quite_ clear that both men deeply disliked each other, and that Linden wasn't a good at disguising his barbs as Blood was.

_Perhaps he's had too little practice,_ she thought over a sip of tea as Blood smiled evenly in the face of Linden's mounting agitation. She sighed and exchanged a look with her sister, who cut in with some new topic. Alice would have done it herself, but she'd stopped listening to the conversation when Blood and Linden's argument changed topics for the fifth time.

While Lorina was talking, Blood took a sip of tea, as if to say he didn't care in the slightest about the conversation at all (which was probably true), and Alice shot him a look. He raised his eyebrows innocently over the edge of his cup, and she rolled her eyes.

A servant appeared from around the hedges and said that both Linden and Lorina were wanted in the ballroom for preparations about their wedding. The two departed with apologies (though it was more sincere on Lorina's part than Linden's), and Alice and Blood said it was no problem, no problem, really (though Blood was every bit as insincere as Linden had been).

"It wouldn't kill you to make him like you, you know," Alice said when they were out of earshot, taking another drink from her cup, and he just laughed.

"But what would I gain from my efforts? Your dear archduke is dead set on loathing me, no matter what I say, so I might as well make it justifiable."

Alice tried not to laugh as she said something like '_incorrigible'_ into her tea cup. Blood had that cocky, knowing smile on his face, and she really didn't want to make it bigger.

When both of their cups were empty, they stood, leaving the table for the nearby servants to clean up. Blood offered her his arm to her, and Alice took it, and they headed back to their room.

"I have come to a conclusion, princess," he said, and she looked at him. "After all of the marvelous things I have heard about your sister from you and other nobles, I have decided that she is decidedly dull."

"_What?_" she asked, blinking in surprise. "You think Lorina's..._dull?"_

"Yes."

Alice took a moment to process this, wondering how the most wonderful person in her life could so easily be called '_dull'._ But this _was_ Blood, and his definition of a good or pleasing person was drastically different than others.

She sighed, indulging him like he wanted.

"And _why_ do you find my sister dull?"

"She's so..._good._ It's utterly tedious. You know what she's going to say, how she's going to say it and when she'll say it even before you finish speaking. She'll always take time to go help someone in need, and she could never banter with a person or say something funny and terrible because it might hurt someone's feelings."

"Yes, well, not everyone can be despicable," she said without much inflection, and he laughed.

"I'm not looking for a despicable person, princess. I think I do that well enough on my own." They entered their room, and Blood closed the door behind them. It was getting late, the grandmother clock said it was almost eight.

"I can only agree."

"But, what I _am_ looking for," he said, a slight smirk on his face, "is some one who is willing to fight back. Part of the reason why I chose you," he whispered as he passed, and Alice felt herself flush. She stared after him, then rang for a handmaid to help her change.

The woman appeared in a few minutes, and helped Alice change in the large bathroom. She wasn't someone Alice recognized, and she couldn't help but wonder if she was a spy as well. The doubt was brief, though, and not very serious. Besides, if she was under Blood's employ, Alice would hardly find herself being betrayed by the servant and then tossed out the window to go marry him _again._

Probably.

While she was changing, Alice felt a twinge of longing for Emily. She missed the woman and her easy kindness. No matter what Alice said, or how she looked when the maid came in, Emily would take it in her stride and try to understand. She, along with Elliot, were the only Artlinders Alice had met with that kind of human understanding.

Alice sighed sadly, thinking about how she had wanted to see her wedding. But she knew that, even if she _had_ been in the country when it took place, it would be improper. It would probably throw things in an uproar if she, the princess, had chosen to go watch her servant's wedding.

The maid left after she was in her night gown, and Alice walked over to the bed, sitting against the pillows. Blood hadn't changed yet, and she wondered what he'd been doing while she was in the bathroom.

"Despite my boredom with your sister, are you glad to see your family again?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"Yes," she sighed, closing her eyes. "Now that I'm not terrified to speak to them, I'm glad I came. But I..." Alice cleared her throat, hoping Blood hadn't caught her last few words. When she snuck a glance at him, it was painfully obvious that he had, in fact, caught them.

His eyebrows were raised, and a smallest of smiles was on his face as he pulled off his shoes. Blood's green eyes said '_Yes, princess?'_ and she knew she'd have to answer. Somehow.

"I just...uhm, I'll just...be glad when we go back."

"Really?"

"Yes," she said, cursing Blood for making the statement seem so much more significant than it really was. She had merely said that she would like to go back to Heart Palace, get away from all of the excitement and fuss and _worry_ that came with being around her family. That wasn't so exceptionally bizarre, now was it?

"I'm glad you're finally warming up to it. For a while, I thought you'd never accept the change."

She glared at him, folded her arms and looked away, not deigning to respond.

"That's another thing I simply couldn't handle about your sister," he continued, and Alice couldn't help herself, she looked at him.

"What is?"

"She's not able to change if things are...improper."

"Improper?" Alice tilted her head, intrigued. "Don't tell me that you're suddenly struck with your own scandalous actions?"

"Of course not, princess. I've been well aware of them the entire time." She gave a slight '_hmph'_ of doubt, and he leaned closer.

"But, this is where you excel. You take it in stride and then..."

"And then what, my dear prince?" she asked, leaning in as if they were sharing a secret. She had to admit, she was deeply curious. Alice always wanted to know what people said about her, which may or may not have lead to her seeming nosy when she was younger. Thankfully, however, when she grew up, Alice managed to refine her ways until they were noticeably subtler.

"You do with it what you will."

"Oh."

Alice took a breath, and decided that they were much too close for her liking. The memory of library was foremost in her mind, and Alice wasn't sure she really wanted to repeat it. She hesitated, feeling Blood's gaze wander across her face. Biting her lip, Alice leaned back, not sure how to continue the conversation, if it could be continued at all. There was a pause, and then Blood smiled.

"What, you don't trust me?"

"Uhhhhhhhm no," she said, feeling slightly out of breath. His smile turned into a dangerous, dangerous smirk, all seductive green eyes and highly attractive mouth and then they were kissing again.

This, Alice decided, was not becoming a very healthy past time.

Blood murmured "Well, you shouldn't," against her lips, and Alice laughed, her head tilting back, and he kissed her throat, the side of her neck. The two of them were pressed hard against the pillows, and all she could think about was _delicious_ this feeling was, having someone (dare she even think it?) love and want her.

Blood was pulling her hair, becoming rougher and rougher with his kisses, hand clenched in her night gown. Alice was tugging at the back of his shirt, laughing because she just _knew_ she was being ridiculous. Was this going to keep happening, her feeling sensible and then going mad with delight and then feeling such intense embarrassment and shame the moment it was over?

His hand was on her side, her thigh, and then it was pulling her night gown up beyond her waist. In that one, terrible, exhilarating moment, Alice snapped back to reality.

She grabbed his hand, gasping, and when he tried to keep kissing her, Alice didn't think, she just slapped him.

The look in his eyes, Alice thought, could only be described as murderous.

He grabbed her wrists, snarling, and Alice could see the pink mark her hand had made. They stared at each other for a moment, and Alice wondered how she could ever _possibly_ have let herself forget what a monster he was. Blood Dupre was volatile and cruel and clever and quite possibly mad, and yet she'd let all of that go because of what? A handful of kisses.

Alice swallowed back the self-reproach and anger and shock and disappointment. Why, why, why, _why_ did he have to spoil everything? It was so nice, so perfect and wonderful, and then he had to go _complicate _things because...because...Alice didn't even _know_ why! She wanted to scream and run away and start sobbing because she just didn't under_stand_ any more. Was she doomed to this for the rest of her life, tiptoeing around him and then laughing and dancing and kissing him until he decided to become nasty again?

Blood looked like there were a thousand things running through is mind, and all but a handful were hostile. Finally, he managed to grit out the word "_Why?"_

Alice took a breath, and felt her hands shake in his grip. She somehow knew that she would have to think _very_ fast, or things would go _very_ wrong in just a few seconds.

"I-I..." Alice struggled to make the words form, and Blood just narrowed his eyes, making it very clear he did not like the wait. "Not here," she managed to gasp out, and he tilted his head, seeming confused.

"What?"

"I can't-not...not here, I don't...it'd just feel like I was disregarding my parents entirely. I'm already lying about everything for you, I just won't be able to stand...doing any more."

He pulled back, all cold condescension, and Alice barely had a moment to pray she had managed to say the right thing before he pushed away from her, dropping her hands with a rough jerk. She stayed still, hands clenched against her chest, staring at him in little more than fear.

"It's like I said before, _princess,_" he said, and for a moment, Alice was _sure_ the contempt in his voice was hiding something else, something more vulnerable, more human. "It'll have to happen sometime."

Blood stalked away and Alice closed her eyes, silently pulling the blankets over her. She wouldn't cry, _couldn't_, the tears seemed absolutely unable to form, but crying would have been so, so much better than feeling so..._everything_. Empty, scared, shocked, ashamed, relieved...

Alice bit her lip, and wondered how she would fair over the next week.

_**AN WHOA. WHOA. BLOOD, ALICE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES. oh dear word someone stop me please.**_

_**but no srsly BLOOD. **__**YOUR DICK-O-METER IS THROUGH THE ROOF. I DO NOT EVEN KNOW HOW YOU CAN STAND YOUR OWN MAJOR DICKAGE. I JUST-I JUST-ARGH.**_

_**LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES.**_


	13. en ik was een dwaas

_**AN Hahaha it's almost been a month XD I don't have any special feelings for this chapter, but I like the feel of it.**_

_**ALSO. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. This story is rated T, and will stay that way. THIS MEANS THERE WILL BE NO LEMONS. I will tease you cruelly, yes, but Blood and Alice will never actually do it. Or, if they do, you will never see it. So please, read the story for the story and not the non-existent sex :)  
><strong>_

The air was warm against her face as she smiled at Lorina, trying not to show all the hurt that was bundled inside her. It had been two days since the argument with Blood, yet Alice hadn't been able to shake her sulk. Every second of down time she had, she was absolutely consumed with the horror of those five, tiny minutes.

She had known from the very first time she had met the prince that he was not a good person. She had even thought of him as an insane monster, ripping out hearts and cutting down people where he saw fit, but somehow...she had managed to forget, to treat it all like a joke. Like she could lead him on like that, let him kiss her like that, and then just think she could...step away, distance herself the moment she got uncomfortable.

_And to think, I considered myself mature a few days ago,_ she thought blackly. _Mature people don't act so senselessly selfish._

Or at least, they weren't supposed to.

"Alice? Are you alright?"

She turned to stare at her sister, blinking in surprise.

"Uhm, yes? What were you saying, Lorina?"

"I was just asking if you're alright. You seem...distracted." Alice shrugged, watching her sister's face for an indicator as to what she knew. Or what she thought she knew.

Lorina seemed a little embarrassed as she shrugged, turning her head away. Alice felt her stomach drop as she realized what her sister thought had happened. She flushed, thinking that Lorina couldn't have been any more off the mark.

"It's just...me and my husband haven't been getting along lately. But I'm sure we'll get over it." Alice smiled brightly, hoping that Lorina wouldn't draw wrong conclusions from her statement.

"Really? I noticed that you two had been kind of...distant towards each other, but I didn't really think about it. But don't worry about it, all couples argue." At these words, Alice almost started to laugh. _Arguing_ wasn't the problem. It was more about what the argument would _cause. _Alice no longer had no idea how either of them would react if they really got going. Blood being unpredictable was a given, his moods were as capricious as the weather, but Alice... She had surprised even herself when she'd slapped Blood, and she didn't want to know what she'd do under harsher circumstances.

She shrugged again, and they walked through a breeze way, lined with stone pillars. Alice paused, leaning against one, breathing in the scent of flowers and summer.

It was funny, how little she thought about her old life here. Before, all she could do was dwell on Liddel Castle, the library, the courtyards, the balconies, how she would hide herself away in corners and read, but now she had a much more worrisome problem than a memory that seemed more fairytale than anything.

The sound of footsteps sounded behind them and the two turned, Lorina naturally curious and Alice fearing it was Blood. He had been playing a strange game since their fight, remaining just as close as ever, and seemed to act the exact same, only...there was a coldness to everything he did towards Alice. Each brush, each word, they held ice and a mocking quality she thought she had worked past.

Apparently, not.

Instead of Blood, it was Linden, which wasn't much better. He smiled at the two of them and gave a slight bow, and Alice forced herself to smile.

"Hello, Linden," she said, trying for the warmth she had once held. Despite the worries she had associated with Linden, she didn't dislike him, and enjoyed being around him. She'd merely enjoy being around him a little more if he wasn't a step away from finding how just how corrupt Artlind was and declaring war on the country and her husband.

Alice blinked and realized that suddenly, she and Linden were alone. She vaguely recalled Lorina mentioning something about having to speak with a count or other, then frowned. Alice was _not _prepared for this kind of interaction.

"Will you walk with me?" Linden asked, and she nodded, trying to keep the worry from her face. Alice took his offered arm and they started walking, talking about a useless something or other.

"It's nice that we finally get to talk to each other," Linden noted after a pause, and she nodded, thinking that she could have held off on something so nice for a few days longer.

"I guess...I've just been busy. I never meant to slight you."

"No, no, of course not. Your husband, on the other hand..."

Alice couldn't help the laugh that broke away from her. She was just so nervous and tired and ready to go away from Underlen and her family and all the secrets she was holding that she could hardly stand it. She shrugged and said "Yes, well, he does have a habit of not making himself especially likable to people he doesn't find...interesting."

"But you were interesting from the get go, if we go by that logic," he said, and Alice wondered if that was a strictly teasing note in his voice.

"Yes, well," she said, thinking of the arguments and the pain and threats and confusion that had been between them for the first little while, and how it hadn't entirely gone away, even now. "I guess I was a special case."

Linden chuckled, then asked "Are you satisfied with your new home?"

"Of course. It's beautiful, and the gardens! They just take my breath away. I am very happy there," she said after a pause, and he looked at her.

"That's not true," he said, smiling kindly in response to her shocked look. "You only ever pause when you're thinking unkindly about something and feeling guilty about it, or at least, you used to. If you flat out loved or hated something, you'd say it without a thought."

"Oh, you're making me feel so terrible," she laughed, feeling the slight creep of embarrassment. Didn't he feel how awkward this was? The way he was talking, it was like...like nothing had changed, and yet everything had. He spoke to her like she was just Lorina's outspoken, funny and contrary sister that she had been months ago, not like she was now a married lady directly in line to rule a country that he coincidentally hated.

And more than that, there was the matter of how she had felt towards him. How did he take the whole thing, first having her ridiculously in love with him, then bitter and taking a cool humor towards it all when she found out that he and Lorina were to be married, and then, just a couple weeks later, running away to be married to a man no one had even thought knew her? He must have thought her shallow and soulless.

_I don't need more complications,_ she thought, sighing a little.

"Some one needs to hold up the mirror for you. Lorina's too nice, and your parents don't know you the same way I do. The only other person who could even try is your husband, and he seems like kind of person to not have that especially high on his agenda."

"You're right there," she admitted, shaking her head. Linden was quiet for a moment, and then turned to her.

"Why did you marry him, Alice?" he asked, voice different from before.

"Wh-what?" she spluttered, surprised. Alice wondered where he was going with this, and felt a flutter of panic. Did he know something Blood hadn't counted on?"

"Why did you marry him? I can't see Blood being the fawning suitor Lorina thinks him to be, and from what I know of him..."

"And what do you know of him?" demanded Alice, and Linden's eyebrows raised, surprised by her sharp tone. She dropped her eyes, feeling embarrassed. All of what he'd just said was true, a simple observation, and yet she was treating it as though Linden had just said Blood was a ghastly monster.

Which was also mostly true.

"Quite a bit, princess," Linden sighed, and Alice felt a twinge. The word 'princess' in reference to her was something that sounded bizarre on anyone's lips but Blood's. She pressed her lips together, waiting for Linden to continue.

"He...I've heard that there are problems with the mafia over in Artlind," Linden began, and she shrugged like that wasn't really important.

"All countries have a problem with crime, Linden," she said, laughing. "You can't dislike him over having trouble with the mafia."

"It's not like other countries," he said, looking frustrated. "Some of my sources have said that the mafia has infiltrated the nobility, and that maybe...even the royal family is corrupt."

Alice blinked at such a straightforward accusation, mind flying to think of something to say. Obviously, Linden was dead on, but she couldn't just admit that!

_Oh yes Linden, that's exactly how it is. In fact, Blood isn't just having trouble keeping the mafia in line, he is the leader! So, now that we've got that cleared up, what do you think we're going to have at tea, today?_

No, the thought alone was horrific. Alice shrugged again, trying to smile.

"Linden," she started, looking directly into his face, "trust me. Do you think I'd willingly marry a man who let the mafia run rampant across the country? Besides, he can only do so much. It's his sister that's the head monarch, not him. Blood's doing the best he can, and with Artlind being so broken from their string of unsuited leaders, war and famines, it's not easy. Please, give him a break."

"I understand, but it just seems off. There was also this case...a man was convicted of murdering someone in Cherslan," Linden said, naming his own country. "It turned out that after he escaped prison, he ran to Artlind, and just happened to become a noble. When I sent my men out to search for him with the news of his crimes, everyone who heard just laughed like it was some joke. But it wasn't because they didn't believe the murder happened, it was because they just didn't care. All the nobles knew it, too, and yet they welcomed him with open arms! That's _got_to be a sign of something."

"Who was the man?" Alice asked softly, staring ahead. She prayed that Linden's answer wouldn't be who she thought it'd be.

"Elliot March," he said definitively, and she felt the air sigh out of her.

Alice closed her eyes, dealing with this information quickly. She knew lives were held in high disregard in Artlind, unless it was your own, but to know that such a kind, cheerful person like Elliot would actually be a killer...

The worst bit was that there wasn't a seed of doubt in her mind that Elliot had killed a person intentionally. Now that Alice thought of it, she was surrounded by murderers. Vivaldi was top of the list, and probably Blood, but then there was Peter and more likely than not, the Knave Ace. And, of course, the boys Dee and Dum, who had so enjoyed the thought of carving her like a roast. Even now, weeks later, Alice's skin still crawled at the thought.

She had forgotten the true horror of things, playing the tragic princess, dealing only with tea parties and political meetings and reading books. It was almost laughable, really. Blood had played his game so well, making her believe things hadn't been so terrible, not giving her the chance to speak with all the nobles in depth or even leave Heart Palace's grounds since going there.

Heart Palace. That place was full of trickery.

"That doesn't mean...we don't know the circumstances of this," Alice said after a pause. "And maybe he hid it from Blood. There are countless things that could have caused this, maybe Vivaldi elevated him, or it happened before Blood found out and some law prevents him from stripping the man of his rank, anything, really. And one unfourtunate case isn't enough to condemn a man, Linden."

"I know," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I just want you to know...to be careful, in case something really _is_ amiss."

"Thank you, Linden," she said softly, making her voice warm when she felt nothing but cold.

The last couple of days slipped away, and Alice now found herself dreading the long carriage ride back to Artlind. The thought of being confined in a small place with a probably hostile Blood was enough to make Alice sweat, and she didn't really want to see how he'd behave. Still, she was anxious to go back, if only to escape the stress she was under. Alice felt like even the walls were watching her every move, to see if she'd run away again or hurt everyone in some hideous way.

After a morning of watching maids pack her things and even a farewell brunch in her and Blood's honor, Alice stood before the carriage, saying goodbye to her family. Her mother looked a little sad, but Alice smiled at her to show that everything was fine, when in actuality, she herself felt a bit weepy. It felt like she was leaving them for good, even though her future promised many trips back to Liddel Castle, as Blood still wanted to become close to them.

She hugged Lorina and had her hand kissed by Linden, then walked back to the carriage, when Blood helped her in. Alice settled in the seat she had taken on the first trip, smiling out the window facing her family. The carriage started moving, and soon they were out of sight.

Leaning back against the opposite side of the carriage, Alice looked forlornly out the window. They were leaving, finally, but she couldn't get rid of that swoop of sadness in her stomach. What Linden had said about Elliot...it made her wonder if he was going to try pursuing his suspicions. What was she supposed to do if he discovered the absolute truth? And then there was her own personal problem with Blood, which had so many loops and curves she felt dizzy just thinking it.

The ride was mostly silent, the air too heavy to say more than a handful of words. Alice dozed off several times, but Blood seemed to stay awake the entire time, just thinking. She watched him warily, unable to push away thoughts of being in a cage with a wild animal. Alice bit her lip and looked back out the window, wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and stay there forever.

_But knowing Blood, he won't leave me alone,_ Alice thought darkly, giving a soft sigh. She felt his gaze shift to her, and to her surprise, it didn't feel dark or angry like she would have expected.

Alice found herself looking back at him, and for one long moment, they just watched each other. Then Blood cocked an eyebrow, mouth lifting into a ghost's smile, but Alice looked away. She wouldn't let herself be dragged back by him, no, not yet. Her heart still stung from that wrathful look he'd cast her in their bedroom, and Alice knew it'd take a while before that healed over.

Eventually, they reached Artlind. Alice felt sore and grumpy when she was helped out of the carriage, and she stood there a moment before walking into the castle. Everything seemed to be the exact same, but she felt like so much had changed.

_How long will this last? Can't things just go back to how they were before?_ she wondered, and when her eyes filled with tears, she hardly felt surprised. _Please...just let me sleep._

She rang for a maid, hoping it would be Emily who knocked on her door, but instead it was one of the irritating, empty maids that she suddenly found herself hating. Alice chewed on her cheek as her bath water was drawn, trying to keep herself from being unkind for no reason.

The bath did little to soothe her, despite her having requested the most calming oils and salts to be mixed in. Despite it being early evening, Alice changed into her nightgown and waited for the bed to be turned down. She climbed in, sighing as she sank into the soft mattress, then tugged the blankets up around her.

She closed her eyes, listening to the soft sound of the curtains being pulled shut, begging herself to sleep. As she drifted off, Alice felt the quiet longing for Blood, the soft, clever, calm Blood that came into her room with the pretense of reading just to talk to her. She wanted him there with her, holding her in his arms and telling her to go to sleep.

_I think I've ruined all chances of that,_ she thought miserably, and pressed her face into the pillows.

_**AN Bluh bluh bluh. Angst. This is...I dunno, tasteless angst. It has no real feel, nothing spicy, just...heartbreak.**_

_**Tell me what you think, alright?  
><strong>_


	14. minun korjata

_**AN Wow, it feels like I updated this forever ago, but it was just sixteen days XD Oh well. But I think I'm to have to work a little harder at updating on time, because...I dunno, I just should (but Avengers and Supernatural has eaten my soul and I just. can't. look. AWAY.)**_

The next few days were nothing short of miserable. Alice still couldn't decide what her position with Blood was, and so she decided to play it safe and just keep her distance. When she was forced to be close to Blood, she did her best to be noninflammatory, but she was always positive that she saw him cast her icy, dissatisfied looks out of the corner of her eye. Once, during a dinner with several important nobles, Alice was almost positive that she would faint if she had to tiptoe and hold her breath around him a second longer.

No one else seemed to notice or care that things were yet again discordant between the prince and princess, but it was beginning to bother Alice to no end. She even mentioned it to Vivaldi, who just laughed and waved her hand like Alice was being silly.

"What should you care about how our stupid brother acts? He's a child, a child! He plays great games and talks big talk, but he still has his little tantrums. Even our useless king is better than him!"

A few weeks ago, Alice had discovered with much surprise that Vivaldi was actually married herself. Her husband was an older man, very mild and unimpressive, but the handful of times she had spoken to him he had always been very kind. In retrospect, however, when Alice considered how Vivaldi stomped all over her own husband with hardly a look back, she decided that Vivaldi was definitely not the ideal confidant on marital matters.

Elliot had picked up on her gloom right away, but Alice had remembered Linden's dark story and had refused to talk about it. She wasn't sure why, but she felt uneasy around everyone at the moment.

The only upshot to returning to Heart Palace was that Emily returned a few days after Alice did. When she had seen the maid walk in, Alice hadn't given a second's thought before launching herself into the woman's arms and burying her face in her shoulder. Emily had let out a shocked '_Oh!'_ when she felt Alice's tears, but allowed Alice to pass them off as though they were of joy. Alice had then busied herself with admiring Emily's wedding ring, a very simple thing made of a dull gold.

Emily had seemed embarrassed and yet fiercely proud of it, as if she were waiting for Alice to compare it to her own gorgeous ring, made of bright gold and diamonds. Alice had merely smiled over it and said it was very pretty, and suited Emily well.

Other than that, Alice had felt depression settle over her. She wandered the halls, searching for something to do but never being able to stay on an activity for more than a few minutes. Emily suggested that maybe it was because something serious was on her mind, and all Alice could think of was Blood, and how she had acted towards him.

No matter what he did, she lead him on, tossed bait at him regardless of it being intentional or not. And then when she practically exploded when Blood took it...he was always the one who seemed to patch things up. It was a shocking realization, but Alice had never apologized or tried to make things better between them. Sure, Blood had never gotten down on his knees and professed a thousand bereft apologies, that would never happen even in the most ludicrous dreams, but he had fixed things in his own way. And Alice had just snatched it up like a bratty child, thinking only about herself, how she could get back at him next.

When she put that together, Alice kicked herself a couple thousand times. Yet again she was unearthing her faults weeks too late to keep any harm from occurring.

Not long after this, Alice realized that every look Blood had sent her since they had come home had been telling her something. It was so obvious, so clear, and she'd been staring it in the face. What Blood wanted, what he was waiting for, was for Alice to act like an adult and solve her own issues.

The only problem was that she had no idea how.

Finally, Alice decided that there was no other way than to just pull herself together and tell him, no extra fluff added. She thought about when she'd be able to tell him, spending a further day chasing herself back and forth, trying to come up with an answer.

_Why is this all so much harder than it was before?_ she wondered, running a hand through her hair as Emily turned down her bed. _Oh, right. It's because I've never had to do this before. I've left it to everyone else. And now Blood's forcing me to do it myself. To think, I'm being taught how to act maturely by a temperamental, possibly insane and definitely conniving prince who had me kidnapped._

She paused, considering.

_And to think, I actually care what this temperamental, possibly insane, conniving and kidnapping prince thinks of me._

As she climbed into bed, Alice decided that she kind of preferred the immature way she'd lived before. Running away was just that much simpler than facing things head on.

She lay in bed a while, trying to fall asleep, but slumber was choosing to laugh in her face. Her clock ticked on and on as she thought, ringing the hour, then half past, then midnight. A sliver of moonlight fell through her curtain, and she sighed, thinking that it would be an excellent night for a walk, except it was a little too cold and the grounds were probably crawling with palace guards. One thing Alice had noticed while living in Heart Palace was that the lackadaisical and rather silly air the servants and nobles assumed while in the palace was for the most, a front. On the rare occasion that things heated up, an ambassador speaking with too much hostility, a nobleman making the wrong move, everyone very casually moved to draw their weapons and ready for an attack. Just remembering it now sent shivers down Alice's back, another reason why she hadn't run away before. Now she chose to not run away because...well, Alice wasn't really sure why. Something just...kept her there, regardless of how she felt about the place itself.

When the clock on her wall rang half an hour past midnight, Alice sat up, sighing with irritation. No matter what she tried, she absolutely could not get to sleep. The insomnia from her early days in Heart Palace was coming back, which was _not_ something Alice welcomed. But, since she was awake, she might as well do something. Read a book, perhaps, finish her embroidery, apologize to Blood...

She paused at this thought, realizing how poetic it would be. He himself had come in under similar circumstances and made a quiet sort of amends that not another soul knew about. Alice could easily do the same, no embarrassment included. And if he tried anything after that...

Well, Alice wasn't really sure what she'd do, but she was certain she wouldn't practically go ballistic as she had before. What was it Blood had said about her, she took unfavorable situations in her stride and did with them what she would? As Alice gently placed her feet on her soft rug, she found herself thinking that this theory would probably be put to test that theory out in a few minutes.

Taking a deep breath, she slipped to the door separating her room and Blood's, pausing as she reached for the door handle. Did she really want to do this? Alice was almost literally walking into the lion's den, and she wasn't sure if she'd come out whole. Biting her lip, Alice opened the door and walked through, catching her breath as she glanced around Blood's room.

She had never been inside before, merely glanced at whatever closed door came between them, but then, she'd never really _wanted_ to go in. Now, however, she took a good long look. From what she could see, it was similar to her own room, with the same large bed and small work table, but where she had a vanity and several stands holding flowers, Blood had chairs, a desk covered in papers and several large bookshelves. She paused in the doorway, then tiptoed to the side of his bed.

The easiest thing to happen now was for him to wake up and see her, then ask what she was doing there and she'd be in the clear, but it seemed like he was fast asleep. She frowned then reached out to touch his shoulder, shaking it slightly and whispering his name. Blood gave a soft intake of breath and stiffened, arm reaching under his pillow for something that Alice didn't have a very good feeling about. He turned to look at her, but she couldn't see his expression.

"Blood?" she asked softly, and he turned to look at her fully, making her shift on the spot. "Can I...can I get in?"

He stared at her a moment, then sighed and rolled so his back faced her, mumbling '_Yes'_ under his breath. She didn't really like the irritated way he said it, like he was humoring a small child, but at least she'd be able to talk with him.

Alice carefully tugged back the covers and climbed in, settling so she was right next to him. They were both silent for a moment before he asked "Why are you here, Alice?"

"I want to talk. To apologize," she corrected, and he turned to face her, a subtle coldness coloring his look of disbelief. She opened her mouth to continue, but under his sudden scrutiny, the words stuck, threatening to choke her. What was she supposed to say, how was she supposed to wrap it all up? It felt like a dream to her, everything was so surreal, so.._.impossible._ Still, he was waiting, and Alice knew Blood didn't take kindly to her wasting his time.

"I...I was...I was being ridiculous back in Liddel Castle, I'm-I'm sorry. I've been treating everything like a game with no consequences and hating you for not playing along with me, and I don't really...know what to do," she whispered, closing her eyes and reaching out to hold onto the front of his night shirt. Blood was silent, listening to what she had to say, and Alice just let everything spill out, every thought and worry left in her head be let go.

"I'm not in a position to demand anything, I know that, but neither do I want to just give up and let you do anything with me. Blood...I'm scared and I'm tired and I don't want to do anything but just...go on without any problems, and that's never going to happen." Alice pressed her face into his chest, feeling tears start to form. Blood took a deep breath, finally setting a hand on her shoulder.

"You get upset over the silliest things," he whispered, a laugh in his voice. She let out a watery chuckle, keeping her face in his shirt. He sighed, pulling her a little closer.

"Relax, princess. Being afraid is something I can't resent, after all, you can't control it, but..." His words trailed off, and Alice let them stay that way, not wanting to pull them out of him and make her feel awful. "Just...go to sleep now, princess."

Alice drifted off to sleep, feeling more relaxed than she had been in days. When she awoke, it was before Blood. For a moment, she just lay there watching him, but then her attention started to wander to his room, which she could clearly see now that the beginnings of morning light was filtering through the curtains. What held her attention, though, were the bookshelves. They held an assortment of books, and Alice felt an intense need to browse them.

She eased herself up, pausing to make sure she didn't wake Blood. Alice glanced at the clock, frowning when she saw it said it wasn't even seven yet. Carefully, Alice slipped out of bed, walking towards the bookshelves. She couldn't tell how they had been organized, as on one shelf there were novels, followed by what looked like atlases, then historical literature, and on the bottom other books of reference.

She skimmed a shelf devoted to novels and picked one that looked promising. Instead of going through the hassle of getting back in bed and trying not to wake Blood, she settled in one of the puffy armchairs. Alice draped a blanket hanging off the back around her and pulled her legs up, opening the book up.

When Blood woke up, she was a good ways in and thoroughly absorbed in the plot line. She didn't even notice when he sat up and began watching her.

"Is it good?" he asked, making her jump. She stared at him, trying to stop her heart from hammering.

"What, oh, yes, I'm enjoying it very much."

He stood up and walked over to her, glancing at the clock.

"It's almost nine-thirty, you should get ready for the day. There's supposed to be a big lunch with several of the important nobles."

Alice nodded, vaguely remembering someone mentioning it to her earlier.

"How many people will be there?" she asked, and he shrugged, brushing her shoulder as he walked past.

"About ten. It's at half-past noon."

"Alright..." she murmured, pushing the blanket aside and stretching. Alice stood up and was about to place her book on the end table when Blood said "Keep it. I know you're going to be thinking about finishing it all day."

She flushed slightly, feeling embarrassed for no reason. Alice nodded and adjusted her grip on it, then walked to the door, pausing slightly before she opened it.

"Make sure to wear something pretty," Blood said jokingly, and she smiled, leaving the room. When she walked into her bedroom, Alice froze when she saw the food cart sitting by her bed. There was a sound from the closet, and then Emily stepped out, holding up a green dress that she set on the bed. Alice flushed deeply, frantically thinking of all the excuses she could muster.

"E-Emily! I-"

"Good morning, m'lady. Did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked, glancing at Alice over her shoulder as she walked back into the closet to fetch another dress. Alice pressed her lips together, wondering how on earth she was supposed to answer. She knew _exactly_ how this looked, but how was she supposed to explain that she'd just gone in for comfort and to apologize? No one would understand her relationship with Blood, no matter how hard she tried.

Despite her mortification, Alice had the faint hope that Emily would understand that she had just been sleeping in Blood's room, nothing more.

"I...ah...yes," she said, figuring that all her possible answers were just as awkward. She chewed on her cheek then walked over to set the book on a table. She dropped into a chair, resting her head on her hand.

"Now, which dress would you like to wear?" Alice dragged her eyes up to look at Emily, who was gesturing at the green dress and a red one with pale gold accents.

"The red one," she sighed, waving her hand at it.

"I just love the stitching on this one," Emily commented, picking up the green one to put it away. "All that gold thread, and yet it looks so tasteful!"

Alice smiled at her, thoughts wandering.

"Emily...are you a native Artlinder?" she asked, and Emily's eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Uhm, no m'lady. I moved to Artlind from a small town in Forris a few years ago." Forris was a country to the north of Artlind, composed of farmers and miners. It seemed like a nice place to live to Alice, as it wasn't troubled with war or any serious diseases, except it rained far too often for her tastes.

"Is that unusual, for people to come so far to Artlind?" she asked, thinking that to even reach the capital, which was several miles north of the palace from even the border of Forris, a person would have to travel across the width of the country, which would be a long and expensive journey.

"I don't believe so. Count March is actually from Cherslan," Emily said from Alice's dresser, and her words made Alice's heart sink. She let out a fain 'Oh...', feeling depressed at the further proof of Elliot having been the murderer Linden had spoken of.

"Well, m'lady, it's time for you to get ready! There's an important lunch, and we want you to look your best!"

Alice nodded, heart somewhere near her stomach.

_**AN BLAH BLAH CUTE FLUFF IS CUTE. I don't have much else to say, other than I really like Emily. And the idea of Forris. It just seems like a nice place to live :)  
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_**Review and tell me what you thought about the chapter!  
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	15. saker inte alla väl

**_AN I am so, so, so so so so amazed right now! You guys...you are seriously awesome, I can hardly even say! I WANT TO WRAP MYSELF UP IN YOUR LOVINGNESS (or something). Not only have you graced this silly little story with a hundred reviews, you also have poured out your encouragement and praise and jokes and bluhbluhbluh why can't I ever sound intelligent during the author notes. OH WELL. So long as I sound okay during the actual story XD  
><em>**

**_ACK. So, if you guys will remember, at the beginning of the story, Heart Palace was called 'Heart Castle', while Liddel Castle was 'Liddel Palace', and then at some place it got switched around and bluh bluh bluh. Well, I went back and fixed that about a month ago, because inconsistencies embarrass me. Awesome. But then, I go check and earlier chapter today and then Heart Palace wasn't capitalized! GRAHGRAHGRAHGRAHHHHH I LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT. OTL_**

**_So yeah, that's my grief with the story right now. I'll get over it soon XD  
><em>**

Putting a hand to her head, Alice took a breath. A headache had developed while Emily was preparing her for the lunch, and it was beginning to make her irritable. She was so mindlessly relieved that she had managed to patch things up with Blood, but she couldn't shake the worry that she would bumble around and make him furious at her yet again in a matter of hours.

_Is that_ _likely?_ she wondered, gnawing on her lip as she leaned against a window frame. Alice gazed out at the forest beyond the gardens, a habit she had fallen into lately. _After everything that we've gone through, is the switch going to flip randomly and he'll be the cold monster again?_

Were they doomed to go around and around and around until her head spun and her heart always ached and she just wanted to lay down and start crying every second of the day? Were she and Blood meant to always play pretend; pretend they didn't hate each other, pretend that they weren't in love, pretend that things were fine, just fine at parties and pretend that they were any other lovestruck, foolish couple willing to disappear from important social events to steal a few scandalous hours together?

Was she strong enough to say no if he wanted to?

Alice slid her eyes back into focus, shaking her head slightly.

_Stop that, _she told herself,_ stop thinking complicated thoughts like that. We'll make it through, one way or another._

Alice straightened, frowning at her reflection. She pinched her cheeks to get some color back into them, adjusted her necklace, then flashed herself a smile. She wanted to make the best impression of the guests as possible, and that wouldn't happen with her moping about the place.

Taking a reassuring breath, she walked down to where she was to meet the guests along with Blood, Vivaldi and Elliot. When she entered the chamber, it was to find Blood and Vivaldi making barbed small talk and Elliot looking slightly resigned to the side. Not wanting to get in between the bickering siblings, she walked over to Elliot, trying to squash her misgivings the entire time.

"Alice," Elliot said, giving a slight bow without taking his eyes off of the Dupres'. She tipped him a slight curtsey in return and then stepped beside him, turning her gaze the same place as Elliot's. Blood had just made some comment and then topped it off with a mocking laugh, while Vivaldi violently flung her previous folded arms to her sides.

"_Ridiculous!_ We would _never-_"

"Oh, look at that. You're starting to sound like a child. Why don't you run along to play tea party with your dollies?" Blood asked cuttingly, while she glared at him. Vivaldi then finally whipped around so that her back faced him, toe tapping with fury. She seemed to just then notice Alice, and with a look in her eye that Alice didn't quite like, the queen rushed over to her. As she latched onto her arm, Alice felt suddenly sure that her headache was about to get worse.

"_Alice,_ please, you must sit by us at lunch! Then you can have the Marquis to your left, and oh, his knave across because we find him to be one of the more charming brutes here, and then we will allow the Count to sit-"

"Hold on, _my dear sister,_ is this a ploy to steal my wife away from me?" he asked, voice all ice. Vivaldi sent him a triumphant smirk as she pulled Alice back from him, who was shocked at just how fast she'd been swallowed into the conversation. She shot a look at Elliot who gave her half a shrug as if to say sorry, but then had her attention ripped back to Blood and Vivaldi.

"Hm, are you saying you're bothered by the thought? That's a little rich coming from you, we think," Vivaldi said, and Alice felt heat climb her neck. Blood seemed unfazed, even had the gall to raise an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Really, I would love to-"

"Uhm, actually," Alice cut it, not wanting to see this go much farther, "I don't really want to disrupt the seating arrangements. They were carefully planned out, weren't they?"

"They were," Elliot confirmed, jumping on the chance to stop the argument. Vivaldi turned to frown at Alice, in which time Blood took the chance to pull her away from his sister.

"And to think, with _your_ seating suggestions, I was to be sitting by the _Marquis._ Does that truly see like a good idea to Her Highness?" he asked mockingly, adjusting his cuffs as if he really couldn't care less. Alice took a moment to study him in more detail; his hair was as carefully messy as always, yet his generally pale suit had been traded in for a dark shade of gray, though he had a bright red rose in his lapel to add a little flare. Elliot and Vivaldi had also dressed for the occasion, him wearing a navy suit and grey vest, while she wore a crimson evening dress with a large skirt and sleeves. White lace had been stitched into all of the edges, and her hair had been pulled into an elegant updo.

She pressed her lips together in irritation. Alice took a deep breath, thinking that what Vivaldi really wanted was to slap Blood, if not whack him with her scepter.

"Ah, Your Highnesses, Princess and Count," a butler said, stepping into the room and saving everyone there from an all out brawl, "announcing Marquis Gowland of Clentley and Knave Airay of Garso. Following is the Prime Minister, Peter White and Knave Finley."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at the butler, then in one united moment composed themselves for their guests. A moment later Peter, Ace and two other men entered, and Alice could hardly contain her curiosity. The first man was tall with a brightly colored outfit and braid who she assumed was the marquis by his air, and then a smaller man with cat ears and dark pink hair. They were both cheerful types, though they both seemed to be rougher than the people she saw around the capital.

The butler introduced her and the others and Alice curtseyed, giving a light smile. Peter returned it with astonishing enthusiasm, and Alice felt her headache spike at the thought of fending him off throughout the rest of the afternoon. Maybe she could chase him off somehow, say that she'd do something he didn't like... Alice had noticed that he didn't particularly like being around Blood, that was something. So if she said that she was going to spend the rest of the day with him...

She stopped short, wondering if this was considered as using Blood. After another look at Peter, her mind was settled on 'no'. Besides, Blood had done worse things, so he couldn't be _too_ upset, not if he was reasonable.

_Because, of course I've married the most reasonable man in all the kingdom. Being mad and all that,_ she thought darkly as the butler announced two female nobles. They entered, a dowager viscountess and a marquise, both looking rather regal in what Alice supposed was the latest fashion. She curtseyed to them as she was introduced, trying to ignore the slightly condescending looks they gave her.

_After all the miles I've __traveled and all the people I've dealt with, there are **still** nobles who feel content in looking down their nose at me. Really now, this is becoming ridiculous._

A few moments of small talk later, they all moved to the dining hall.

Large windows framed one wall, and their curtains had been drawn back to both flood the room with light and to show off the western garden's final push for life. The barest corner of the rose gardens could be seen, and Alice hoped that she would be allowed to sit opposite the windows, so as to be able to enjoy the view.

They all sat down, Vivaldi at the head with Elliot to her right, then Alice and Blood in their original positions. Alice couldn't help but notice the small, smug look Blood had on his face as he sat down beside Alice, while Vivaldi gave a barely audible '_Hmph!'_

The soup course was served, a beautiful looking lobster bisque, and Peter inquired after her health. She raised her eyes to him, noting that his red suit had been traded in for a dark green one.

"Hm? Oh, I've been...I've been well," she said, thinking of both her headache and depression. She smiled at him, and Peter seemed pleased. Alice was just beginning to hope he'd leave it at that when he started up a new topic of discussion; her trip to Underlen. Gowland actually seemed interested in this, and joined the topic as well. From what Alie could tell, he was from the North, near Forris, and had a rather whimsical personality. He was energetic and his humor was rather silly, but there was a trace of seriousness around his eyes as he joked about topics that Alice found interesting.

About halfway through their conversation, Alice felt Blood discreetly reach over and take her hand. She didn't react, except to hide their clasped hands in a fold of her skirt. When she dared to steal a glance at him, Alice noticed that his smile as he conversed with the viscountess had an edge of coolness that she had become so familiar with. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly as he spoke, and Alice turned back to Gowland, wondering what was making him act this way. That was look he wore whenever he was just barely suppressing his disdain or anger at something, but from what she could tell, the viscountess was being perfectly polite. She even had some of the sharp wit in her responses that Blood seemed to like so much.

Gowland was talking with his hands now as he explained that a festival was just around the corner. His eyes were bright as he told Alice about the games and the foods prepared for one day, and she heard the softest '_Che'_ from Blood.

Realization hit her as she took a sip from her wine glass - it wasn't the viscountess that Blood was irritated with, it was Gowland.

_And why is that, I wonder? Blood doesn't exactly have the tendency to make people adore him from the get go, but this is just strange.  
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The soup was whisked away, replaced by poached salmon, sided with potatoes, carrots and peas. She released Blood's hand so she could properly eat, but kept an eye on both him and Gowland, wondering how things would develop. As shameful as it was, Alice was curious and the slightest bit eager to see what an argument with Blood looked like, when she wasn't the person on the other end. All she'd seen so far were rather snippy comments between him and Linden, and of course, the doubtlessly hostile quarrels with Vivaldi.

_Though, those could also be called shouting matches. Even if Vivaldi is the only one shouting..._ she thought as the knight, who had insisted she call him Boris, finished telling everyone about a duel he'd had over a pumpkin. He was a good story teller, and knew how to make people laugh one second, then grip the edges of their chair with worry the next. Blood even seemed amused, which she had to say was something.

"It's a shame Knight Airay has sworn himself to the Marquis," Blood murmured in her ear, and she smiled at her plate.

"Why's that? You could still easily use him."

"True. It's just I can't _stand_ Gowland, and just the thought of Airay being employed by him at some point puts me off." The tone in which he said it made Alice laugh, one of absolute displeasure and the hints of regret. Her laughter drew the attention of most everyone at the table, and she swallowed her laughter as Vivaldi asked imperiously "What was that? What were you two saying, we would like to hear."

"We were merely remarking that it was a delightful lunch, but it would be endlessly more entertaining if it were just the two of us," Blood said without a hitch, and the simple, honest sounding way in which he said it made it sound all the more true. Alice took another drink from her wineglass as she flushed in embarrassment and stifled mirth. She heard the titters from the women across from her and Peter, but she could hardly care less. Her headache was starting to make her silly, and Vivaldi's shocked and then irritated expression was just priceless.

Alice glanced at Blood, who was wearing a bland smile that said '_There, are you happy now? You know the truth.'_ She took a deep breath and put down her glass, and then her plate of half-eaten salmon was replaced with lamb and roast pheasant stuffed with cress, chestnuts and squash. All three had their own sauces, and came with a side of rice. She took a bite, pleased by the explosion of flavor.

When she had finished, she found that Gowland was just entering the conversation. Both Boris and Elliot seemed to stiffen in their seats as he spoke, and Alice saw from the corner of her eye that Blood seemed to straighten, and she could just imagine the look on his face, eyes narrowed in contemptuous civility.

"What is it?" she asked Elliot, who was just taking a bite of his pheasant.

"The prince and the Marquis Gowland are...ah...on rather_ poor terms._ It's been like this since I came here, and that was about...five years ago? See, Blood, he was responsible for spreading something about Gowland that he didn't like, and ever since then, Gowland's hated him. Which had been a pretty big problem, since he's actually-"

"Tell me, are you going to demand what Alice is saying to the Count, sister?" Blood asked, and at the sound of their names, Elliot and Alice looked around. "Even though it truly is none of your business, I can put all your worries to ease that it's nothing improper."

Alice's eyebrows raised at his words, and there were more titters. She shot a look at Blood, who was wearing a smile that was sincere politeness covering arrogant triumph, as if he believed that no matter what they said would be nothing to his counter statements. He glanced at her, smile becoming honest for the barest moment before Gowland challenged Blood.

"It's interesting that you even have to make that comment, _Prince._ Almost as if you're saying it to reassure yourself."

"And are you insinuating that my wife is untrustworthy, _Marquis?_" he asked with the same level of sarcastic respect. "I can vouch for her perfect fidelity, if you so wish it."

Alice glanced at everyone at the table, and realized that this argument was either going in for the long haul, or was going to be broken up before any real harm came of it. The women at the end table were equal parts fascination and awkwardness, casting looks at everyone as if expecting them to leap in. Elliot and Boris were both groaning to themselves that their higher ups went at it, Vivaldi was quietly fuming as she was cut out of the conversation completely, and Peter really just looked outraged that they were arguing over Alice's purity. Clearly, it was without a doubt the cleanest thing in the world to the Prime Minister.

_I wish I could go to bed,_ she thought, leaning back in her chair as her lamb and pheasant seemed that much less enjoyable.

"All that I'm insinuating, is that if I were in her position, I would do anything to steal back my wife's..._wandering_ attention." Blood smiled in the face of Gowland's accusation, though Alice noticed that his hands were curled into fists at his side. She pursed her lips as she felt nearly everyone watching her, upset that Gowland would speak so rudely about them, and also at the thought that of Blood being promiscuous.

It wouldn't exactly be the first time she heard of a noble pair being infidelitous towards each other. She grew up listening to stories that sent the court into a tizzy when revealed, and when she was older, began seeing the quiet little signs of an affair. It was entirely possible that Blood's attention would wander onto other women. After all, considering that they hadn't even consummated yet, it was likely he would want to have fun elsewhere...

She scowled as she took another forkful of rice, telling herself not to think things like that in public.

The main course was replaced by fruit drizzled with cream, which both Elliot and Boris leaped on to change the subject. It was a good thing, too, Alice thought. It looked like Blood and Gowland were about to jump up from their chairs and start hurling goblets at each other.

After that, the meal finished quickly. Their guests were escorted elsewhere, while Blood took Alice's wrist in a death grip, taking her in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, trying not to trip on her skirts as Blood took the stairs two at a time.

"Getting away from that cretin, Gowland!" he practically snarled, teeth clenched together. She made a noise of irritation, grabbing her skirt up in her free hand and glancing over her shoulder.

"You know, they're going to talk. It'd be bad enough it you hadn't been so clever with Vivaldi earlier, but with that-"

"Doesn't matter," he said shortly, and Alice realized that Blood was very, very close to losing it. She sobered up quickly, forgetting her irritation.

"Where are we...where're we going?" asked Alice, and was told they were headed to her room. She wanted to know why, but was suddenly afraid of pushing Blood for answers when he was so obviously irate. Instead, she just tried to focus on keeping up and not falling on her face. Tripping and slowing Blood down would only serve to make him even more irritated, plus it would also mean quite a few bruises for Alice.

They turned the corner to the corridor containing the doors to both her and Blood's bedrooms, and he yanked the door open to her's, pushing her in ahead of him. Alice staggered to a halt, rubbing her wrist reproachfully. He didn't seem to notice, slamming the door and letting out an angry growl, hand to his face.

The two of them stood there for a moment, and Alice shifted, wondering if she was allowed to talk. Blood took a breath, as if he were pulling together his facade. Alice tugged on one of her gloves, thinking that this was probably the first time she had seen him so discomposed. He had come close a few times, but this was very unsettling because she wasn't quite sure what was making him to angry. Was it something she'd done, or was it Gowland, or was it something that Gowland had said that Blood thought likely?

Her stomach wriggled at the thought, feeling sick all the way around.

"Are you...are you alright?" she asked tentatively, because she just could not _stand_ waiting there with her headache and apprehension and him so obviously upset.

Blood looked at her through his hand and gave a dark little '_Ha', _which put her on the defensive.

"_What_?" she asked, and he shook his head, smile bitter.

"Oh, nothing, Princess. It's just that I had that...that..._mongrel_ insult my wife to my face, and now I want to..." He trailed off, though it sounded more like he was squeezing the words into silence in his throat, like he didn't want to finish the sentence in front of Alice.

She took a tentative step towards him, and he held out a hand, clearly to keep her back.

"No, don't, I might...just distract me."

"_Distract _you?" she asked, a little confused. He nodded, completely tense, and she sighed, wondering how on earth she was supposed to do that. He watched her as she bit her lip, thinking.

Blood's expression changed as he stared at her as if he himself were confused, then he broke into a reluctant laugh.

"Don't _do_ that," he said, and she stared back, utterly bewildered.

"What, I didn't do anything-"

"Yes, you did! And you didn't even realize it..."

"Realize _what?_" she demanded, breaking into a laugh herself. He looked at her, eyes a little lighter than they had been before, but she could see the darkness creeping back into them. Alice sighed again, then took his hand, leading him to the bed. He sent her a look as if asking what he was supposed to do now, and she pointed at the edge.

"Sit."

Blood sat, looking more like he was humoring her more than anything. She sat beside him, one leg cross so that her foot was tucked under the opposite knee. Alice smoothed her skirts, looking up at him as she asked "So, what made you so mad?"

He rolled his eyes, looking irritated again.

"I already told you, that-"

"No," she said, holding her hand up. He sent her that strange look again as he tilted his head back, and she frowned. "Don't go off on a rant, just...tell me. What's making you mad?"

Blood pursed his lips, looking over at the armchair set by the window.

"_Gowland,_" he began, "Normally his jabs don't mean a thing, but today, when he said those things, about me, I thought they would..." His jaw worked, then he turned to scowl at her.

"This is hardly getting my mind off of things, Alice."

She shrugged, not admitting that this had been more to sate her curiosity than anything. Now, she was pretty sure that he had gotten so upset because he thought that maybe the accusations would hurt her, or that maybe there was a shred of truth of this (Alice thought this was rather amusing, as she doubted she had a bone in her body shameless or clever enough to pull off an affair). But now it was down to business.

She took his hand in both of hers, holding it in her lap.

"The rose garden is looking especially beautiful lately," she began, tugging his glove off. "I always thought that roses looked best in summer, when their petals stood out so wonderfully from the surrounding greenery, but you've managed to get them to look amazing during the fall, when everything else is trying so desperately to cling on. Or, at least, your gardeners have."

"That's it?" he asked in disbelief. "You're distracting me with simple _small talk?_"

"Shush. Yes, I am." Alice let go of his hand, then took the other one, also plucking at the glove.

"And what are you doing?" he demanded, tugging his hand away from her.

"I'm taking off your gloves. I always find that I'm less irritable when I'm not stifled in formal clothing."

"But I always wear this."

Alice gave him a pointed look that made him purse his lips again, as close to conceding she had a point as he was likely to get. She took back his hand, pulling the glove off completely.

"If you wanted a more _scandalous_ form of distraction, you should have run to one of your many mistresses for the job," she said, breaking into a laugh that took Gowland's accusations a little less seriously than she actually did. Blood watched her as she stood up, taking the sleeve of his suit in her hand and pulling it off.

"...Did that really not bother you?" he asked, and Alice smiled at him, setting his jacket over the back of the armchair.

"Nope," she said, and he frowned at her. "Look at you. You run yourself ragged from working so much, always looking at documents and winning over people you need information from and dictating orders to subordinates and writing letters and finally coming into your bedroom, sometimes past one in the morning...it's really quite amazing that you haven't dropped dead yet. You think you'd really have the _time_ for a mistress?"

Blood examined her as she sat down, making Alice feel a little self conscious. After a moment, he merely said "Huh. I never would have imagined that you took such an interest in my doings, Alice. But, what's to say that my winning people over isn't the smooth talking you imagine?"

Alice gave him a hard look, searching his curious green eyes.

"I just...have faith, I guess. Besides, if you tell me, right now with no trickery or word play or clever games that you haven't ever had an affair during our marriage, I'll believe you. No lies, remember?"

Blood laughed at her, shaking his head.

"And who says that that wasn't all a lie? Or maybe I just don't want to deal with the hassle of saying that yes, I have been rather dissolute?"

One thing that Alice had learned about Blood was that whenever he was telling the absolute truth, he always laid this trail of confusion before the person he was talking to, as if to make even the true seem questionable.

"I believe you were telling the truth. And if it bothers you so much, tell me the truth right now, and the subject will be permanently dropped. Have you had an affair during our marriage?"

He paused, eyes half lidded as he murmured "No, I haven't."

"Alright then," she said, smiling a little. "Feel better?"

He humphed and looked down at their hands, eyes on his wedding band and her more ornate one with a diamond on it.

"Are you properly distracted now, Blood?" she asked, and he glanced up at her face, a small smile on his face.

"Yes, Alice. I suppose I am."

She smiled at him for a moment, then remembered that circumstances had been dangerously similar to this back in Underlen, right before she'd slapped him. Alice pulled back, not wanting to chance a repeat of that.

"So, what was it you wanted to do to Gowland? You were saying earlier, but then stopped." Blood looked at her for a moment, as if measuring her up.

"I was saying I wanted to put a bullet through his brain for being such a cad," he said evenly, and Alice felt a rush of ice in her chest, because it was so easy to believe. She suddenly remembered last night when she'd gone in to ask his forgiveness, and how he had reached for something under his pillow. There was no doubt in her mind now that it had been a gun.

She straightened, feeling a little woozy at the thought that she had taken her life in her hands only a few hours before without even realizing it. Alice bit her lip, wondering when she'd ever get used to being married to an _animal_ like Blood.

Blood suddenly reached out and took her face in his hand, frowning slightly.

"Don't _do _that," he said, sounding exasperated. Alice blinked in surprise, grabbing his wrist out of reflex.

"Do _what?"_ she demanded again, wanting to know just what it was that was so terrible for her to do so she could stop doing it and avoid more silly situations like these.

"Don't...bite your lip like that," Blood told her, and she raised her eyebrows, surprised that such a little thing could bother him so much. He let go of her face, and a small part of him seemed to be a little flustered. Alice leaned a little closer, wanting to tease him a little.

"And why not?"

Blood looked her in the face, and she held her breath, feeling the swirl in her stomach that she got whenever he did this. She held her ground though, determined to get an answer.

"Because it makes me want to do deliciously indecent things with you," he said in the same tone of voice as he had used on Vivaldi during lunch. Alice narrowed her eyes at him, then tapped him on the nose.

"No lies, remember?"

"Who said it was a lie?" he asked, smile suggestive and teasing. Alice made a face at him, pulling away. She sighed and pulled her hair down from its clasp, and Blood laughed.

"Now you're just asking for it." She turned and tried to ask what he was talking about, but Blood leaned forward and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Alice was about to protest, but he tugged her closer, so that she was practically sitting on his thigh. He kissed her more deeply, and Alice felt her heart start pounding, because he'd never kissed her like this before. Blood had given her light, quick, I-can-kiss-you-because-I-can kisses, and then hungrily, like he'd never see her again and needed to make the most of the time they had left. But this...this was slower, and yet more intense. He kissed her on the corner of her mouth, then took her bottom lip between his teeth, making her breath catch in her chest.

Alice pulled her head away, but Blood moved onto her neck, giving her soft, burning kisses. She shifted, trying to extract herself from him, but Blood had his arms firmly around her, keeping her in place. Alice was holding on tightly to the the shoulders of his shirt, trying to listen to her better judgement and not start kissing him herself.

Blood's mouth wandered back up to her jaw, and in between kisses he asked "Now...do you see...what I meant?"

She tried to say that yes, she did and now it was time for him to stop, but it just ended up with her mouth locked with his. Alice sighed through her nose, more out of irritation than anything as she thought _Someday, I'll be able to head this off before it starts._

Blood's hand moved from the small of her back to her leg, pushing up the seemingly endless amount of skirts and petticoats. When she felt his hand on her practically bare thigh, a thrill went through her. He laughed, and Alice felt panic starting to choke her. Instead of flailing out like she normally would have, Alice tried a more sensible tactic.

With a considerable amount of effort, Alice pulled her face away, holding up a hand between their mouths.

"No," she told Blood, and nailed her with those enticing green eyes of his. He looked at her, smile all provocative charm, and she frowned. "_No,_" she repeated, holding up her forefinger as if in warning.

Blood kissed her finger tip, then murmured "You're not doing a very convincing job of fending me off, Alice. You'll have to try a little harder if you want me to stop."

His hands returned to her back, undoing the bindings of her dress, then pressing his hand against her bare skin. Alice's breath caught, never having been touched there before. Blood traced her spine, and Alice groaned, though not completely out of exasperation.

Despite knowing she had to stop, _needing_ herself to stop, Alice felt her hands drift from Blood's shoulders to his back, roughly pulling the back of his shirt free from where it had been so neatly tucked. Blood was kissing her shoulder, just below her collar bones, one hand working on her skirts and the other trying to peel the front of her dress away from her chest. His lips were feathering over her skin, and each touch was making her melt and freeze at the same time. She wanted to ignore the reasonable part of her mind that said she shouldn't let him go any farther, because that was just asking for more trouble, because it all felt _so good. _Alice bit her lip, torn as to what she wanted to do, the matter not exactly helped by another long kiss from Blood.

As if acting on their own, Alice's hands undid Blood's shirt so that it was merely hanging off his arms. His hand was under her skirt, placed firmly on her hip and her legs were starting to hurt because when he'd pulled her closer, they'd been bent at odd angles but she didn't want to adjust them so that their position was more comfortable, because the most comfortable position was wrapped around Blood's waist.

Finally, Alice managed to jerk some sense back into herself and placed her hand over his mouth, nailing him with a scowl.

"I mean it this time. _No._"

"And why's that?" he asked, hand moving her's aside, and Alice decided that she didn't like this playfulness. Savage desire was easy to hold back, but _this..._it just swept her along and made her not want to think.

"Because you should be nice to me. I have a headache, and I'm tired." This wasn't exactly true, as her headache had just about vanished and she was wide awake (his well placed kisses had made sure of that), but Alice was willing to grab on to any excuse she had left.

"I can make your headache better," he offered, and she shook her head.

"By leaving me alone? Yes, yes you can. In fact, that's a marvelous idea, Blood." He laughed and tried to continue kissing her, but she put her hand over his mouth again.

"_Nooooo."_

He watched her a moment, tried to kiss her again but stopped when she whispered _"No" _Blood sighed and sat up, pulling his hand away from her waist. Alice sat up carefully, hand pressed against the front of her dress to keep it from falling off and rendering their progress utterly pointless.

Blood stood up, trying to straighten his shirt. They exchanged a look and he stroked her jaw before going to get his gloves and jacket from the armchair. Once he was through the door connecting their rooms and it was shut, Alice flopped back on her bed, letting out her pent up, anxious breath in one big huff.

She had tried to be very, very calm about the whole thing, but really, her hands were shaking from nerves. Even though she had made the unspoken resolve to not repress Blood at every turn, all she could think was '_I'm not ready, I'm not ready, no, no, I'm not ready for this!'_ Alice chewed her cheek, wondering how long this arrangement would work. Blood had been in a rather good mood that day, despite Gowland's appearance. Under other circumstances, he might not be so understanding...

And what was the reason that Gowland had said such awful things, anyways? Elliot had said that Blood had started it by spreading...something, but she wanted the whole story. In fact, the best thing was to talk with the marquis, alone, so she could get the truth.

Alice stood up, hand still pressed to her chest, keeping the dress in place. She walked over to the closet, searching for another, less fancy dress to wear for the rest of the day. The air was cold against the skin of her back, but Alice could still feel the spots on her back that still burned from Blood touching them.

_**AN OH GOSH THIS CHAPTER. IT JUST...IT JUST FELT DIFFERENT. and oh my gosh i feel so terrible for making gowland such a dick I'M SORRY. BUT HO MAN, THAT LAST SCENE. It was weird to write, because it felt personal, and yet really distant at the same time. :/ Weird to explain, but I hope you all enjoyed it.  
><strong>_

_** And I had a horrible realization yesterday. Here I am, ten months, fifteen chapters, a hundred reviews (still really excited over that) and over 50,000 words in, and I still haven't even thought about bringing Julius in.**_

_**AAAAAAH I'M SUCH AN ASSHOLE OF AN AUTHOR FORGIVE MEEEEEEEEE *breaks down sobbing*.  
><strong>_

_**So just...just...I don't even know, just say something to me bluhbluhbluh.  
><strong>_


	16. in bella vista

**_AN I don't have much to say about this chapter, other than it's a little shorter than usual. But thank you to everyone who faved, alerted and reviewed! It's so exciting to see how many people take an interest in my story :D_**

Alice awoke, feeling groggy. Her headache had returned, though it was much milder than it had been the day before. She lay there a while, thinking, thinking, thinking.

Things had taken a blessed swing for the better, though Alice couldn't count on things being good for forever. All it took was a misplaced word or one small action to make Blood go over the edge.

Her mind flitted back to the day before when Blood had been so angry at what Gowland had said. A part of her felt that same fear as she thought about how she could have so easily released that dam and had his wrath pour out onto her, and another part felt flattered and proud that Blood had trusted her enough to calm him down. Though...now that she thought about it, he may have dragged her along simply because she had been the only person within reach that he didn't utterly detest.

How did Blood normally calm down? Surely he became upset more often than she had seen, what did he do to stop it? Took a walk in the gardens, read a book? Or did he put his gun to good use...?

Alice rolled over and covered her head with a pillow, deciding right away that these were not good thoughts to be thinking. Some things simply did not need to be in her head.

She slowly pulled the pillow off her head, thinking about Gowland. She really did need to talk to him, to ask why he'd slipped from amiable politeness to so rudely accusing of her in front of everyone. Alice wasn't especially embarrassed because she knew that they were utterly baseless accusations and anyone who knew her would realize it. Had it been because of Blood that he lashed out, was he trying to hurt him in a roundabout way? Because if he had, he had certainly succeeded.

_Things are just too complicated!_ she thought grumpily, ringing for Emily. She was going to sort this out right away, one because she wouldn't be able to handle more episodes like the one the day before and two because she was frightfully curious.

Alice got to her feet, and within minutes Emily was there, food cart in hand.

"Good morning, m'lady," she said, and Alice smiled at her. "Sleep well?"

"Like a rock. You'd think that I'd run a mile yesterday or something."

Nibbling on some toast, Alice spoke with Emily as she fetched her clothes for the day and drew her bath water. Alice fell silent as she scrubbed herself off, thinking about what she was supposed to do now. For some reason, she felt strangely lost after having the goal of getting through her trip to Underlen, and then making up with Blood. It was like she had nothing left to do for the rest of her life, like she had finished it all. She frowned, not liking this listlessness.

After Alice was dressed and had her hair pulled back and was otherwise ready, she bid farewell to Emily and set off to find the Gowland. She didn't want to ask a servant where his quarters were, because she had no idea what she was supposed to do afterwards. Knock on his door and pray that he was dressed and ready for the day? No, that was far too many shades of mortifying and improper for Alice to bear. She instead settled on wandering the palace and inquiring after him to anyone she came across.

Alice set off, strolling the halls and pausing by the windows whenever they offered a particularly pleasant view. A part of her whispered that she should be moving with more urgency, that she shouldn't be so spacey, taking the time to fawn over the way the morning sunlight hit a particular tree, but it was small and easily ignored by the rest of her.

Finally, Alice came across the Marquis near the library. She blinked in surprise when she turned the corner to see him ahead of her, going in the same direction.

"Ah, Marquis, please hold on," she called, and he turned, eyebrows raised in surprise and curiosity as to who was calling after him. When he saw it was Alice, Gowland's face fell in worry and embarrassment.

"Uh-uhm, Princess," he said, dipping in a bow. She returned a gracious curtsey, watching him with surprise. The way he'd slung those insults last night, she never would have suspected that he'd regret them later, or at least worry about seeing her the next day.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked politely, and he nodded, muttering something about enjoying the fact that it was still warm enough here to keep his window open at night, unlike in his county.

"And you?" he asked after a pause, and she smiled, saying that yes, she had had a good night's sleep.

"How long are you to stay here at the palace?"

"For only a few days, thank the stars," he said, the last bit a mutter. Alice tilted her head in questioning, and Gowland seemed to become even more embarrassed.

"Oh, uhm, I just...I don't like being near the Prince." The statement was simple enough, though the way he said 'the Prince', flat and almost bitter, made it _very_ clear how bitter his relationship with Blood was. She sighed, wondering if there was _anyone_ other than her and Elliot that didn't hate or fear Blood.

"So he's truly done something to wrong you?" she asked, and Gowland straightened, suddenly alert.

"Why would you ask that, m'lady?"

"Just something Count March said. Plus the way you talk about him," Alice laughed, shaking her head. "It's easy to detect after a while."

"I'd imagine that you would have become rather adept at it, meeting people who dislike him all the time." Gowland blinked, realizing that he had been rude, then tried to fix his statement. "I mean, it's just that he doesn't exactly _charm _people for goodness sake, he's too much of a conniver, no, that's not what I meant, the Prince merely doesn't bother himself with other people's well being unless he gets something out of it. Or rather..."

"No, no, it's fine," she said, trying not to laugh when he was so clearly struggling. Gowland gave an apologetic smile, and Alice was suddenly sure that he hadn't been thinking of insulting her so much as getting back at Blood, albeit in a rather thoughtless way. She couldn't entirely blame him; she herself had done the same when she'd first come to the palace (or had at least longed to), but hadn't had the same ammo as Gowland.

"I know what Blood's like, believe me, I _know_ what he's like, I just wanted to know...what prompted that altercation last night."

"It's a bit of a story," Gowland said, probably to deflect her subtle question.

"I do like stories," Alice told him, gesturing for them to keep walking. He sighed, looking a little defeated.

"It's not really something I like telling..."

"Out of every, I think I deserve this story the most."

"True...it's not really much, it's just...we've never really gotten on," Gowland began, holding his hands up as if a miniature version of himself and Blood stood respectively in each palm. "Right from the beginning, oil and water, no doubt about it. And when it became clear that he'd much rather have me off the field, your dear prince began spreading every nasty rumor he could to defame me. Including one that _wasn't_ a rumor, much to my mortification."

Alice nodded, interest mounting yet not wanting to come right out and demand what it had been that Blood said about Gowland that bothered him so.

"My name," he finally admitted, and Alice raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Your...name?"

"Yes. It's...it's Merry," he grunted, voice lowered so that Alice could hardly hear it. She raised her eyebrows, surprised that he'd be so self conscious. "I find it...a little embarrassing. And unfourtunately, in my line of work, something like that could break me. Quite literally."

"Sounds like you work with very unpredictable people," she said, making Gowland laugh.

"You could certainly say that. And your _husband_ knew it. It's almost cost me a couple of times, which is why I didn't hesitate to get him any way I could...so, I'm sorry for what I said last night," he said, stopping to look at her and seeming truly remorseful.

"I didn't think when I spoke, it's a terrible habit of mine, has been since I was a boy, and seeing it affect Blood so much...it kind of egged me on. I never even considered how you or anyone else would feel about it, which was stupid of me. Will you..._could_ you forgive me?"

"I'll think about it," she said, continuing to walk on. Gowland didn't continue with her, making her look back at him, revealing her broad grin.  
>"I'm joking, Marquis, of course. I forgive you. I had a feeling it was something like that, and, well, Blood certainly does a marvelous job of provoking people."<p>

"Oh, thank you, m'lady," he sighed, looking truly relieved.

"It's not problem, so long as you call me Alice," she said, and he smiled at her, nodding.

They continued on walking for a while before Alice stopped in front of the library, bidding him farewell. He left as she entered, and Alice felt a sigh of pleasure as she gazed at the numerous shelves. She had dearly missed the vast collection of books. The library at Liddel Castle was impressive, but it simply didn't compare with the one here.

Alice wandered the shelves, pulling a book down on occasion, flipping through it and then setting it back. Nothing caught her eye until she reach the nonfiction section and she found a book titled '_A History for the Ages'._ The book was a detailed history of Artlind, including its relations with its surrounding countries; Cherslan, Underlen and Forris.

A dark thrill of hope ran through her chest as Alice thought maybe this would help her understand some of the contention and reasons for the calamities that had hit Artlind over the last century. Granted, it wouldn't tell her what she wanted about the problems she was facing now, but it might give her some very helpful backstory.

"Are you finding everything you need?" a soft voice asked, and Alice wheeled around to face a tall bespectacled man wearing a low slung ponytail.

"I-ah-yes, thank you." Alice forced a smile on her face as she told herself to calm down, he simply had asked if she needed any help finding books. There was no need for her heart to act like she had run a mile.

The man's expression didn't change, though if Alice was honest, he didn't have much emotion on his face to begin with.

"If you want to read more about the countries or their more modern affairs, I can certainly direct you to the place," he offered, and even though Alice wanted to know everything she could about the topic, she forced herself to say now. The man gave a small smile as if he knew better and nodded.

"Very well, m'lady. Another time, then." He turned as if to head farther into the library, but Alice lurched forward, touching him on the shoulder.

"Ah, wait a moment, please! I'm afraid I don't know your name." The man turned back to her, giving a bow.

"How rude of me. I am Sir Julius Monrey, library keeper and head caretaker of the clock tower here in Heart Palace."

"You take care of both the library and the clock tower?" she asked, impressed. From what Alice knew, both jobs were fairly demanding and solitary things, taking most of the time a person had.

"Yes, though I am more of a supervisor over the clock tower, to make sure that things are kept up to scratch." He tilted his head with the edges of pride and Alice smiled, nodding.

"Princess Alice Li-Dupre," she said, supressing a sound of annoyance at herself. How long had it been since she had legally become a Dupre? Almost four months! And yet she was still stumbling over which surname to use. If Julius had noticed her mishap, though, he didn't comment.

She extended her hand for him to kiss, a gesture she disliked even though it was the proper response. It felt too much like she was demanding him to acknowledge just how low a status he had in comparison to her.

"I'm actually surprised I haven't met you before, Sir Julius."

"I have been rather busy lately, but now my time is open for anyone that wishes to come into the library." Julius' voice remained mild as he said this, though Alice noticed the way he narrowed his eyes, as if disliking the thought of catering to every single person that chose to peruse the shelves.

"Still, I shall make sure to come only when necessary, else I'll wear out your hospitality," she said with a smile, earning a slight smile in return. She waved in farewell, heading out of the library with her book held tightly in her hand.

When she reached her rooms, she barely had time to sit down before there was a soft rap on the door.

"You may come in," she said, and the door opened to reveal Emily carrying a tea tray.

"A gift from the Marquis," Emily said in explanation, and Alice raised her eyebrows in surprise. Emily set the tray down on the table where Alice was sitting, and began pouring a cup for her.

"There as also this note," the maid said, holding out a small envelope. Alice opened it, curious as to what Gowland was sending this for. The note was short and sounded nothing like him, giving Alice the feeling that he didn't write very many letters like this. The tea was an extended apology, the note said, even though they had sorted things out earlier. _It just does not feel right, letting things lie this way,_ and Alice shook her head with a smile, wondering if she was going to get flowers and a cake next.

Alice took the teacup from Emily, pausing after a sip. It wasn't a blend she was familiar with, flowery and clean tasting with a mellow undercurrent. She turned to Emily and asked "Do you know what kind of tea this is?"

"No, m'lady. Perhaps it is from Cherslan. The Marquis' county, Clentley, is right on the border."

"Perhaps," Alice murmured, taking another sip. Sleepiness wafted over her as Emily left, and then a slight nausea. Not the stomach churning kind that had you bent over a bowl, but the kind that sent the world spinning in sickening swoops and made you feel like you were about to gag.

Alice set her tea cup down, sighing slightly as she pressed a hand to her head. Irritation fluttered in her as she settled back into her chair.

Was she _ever_ going to feel better, or was she doomed to suffering one ailment after another?

_**AN Poor Alice. Girl never catches a break. If she's not depressed, she's worrying for her life, if she's not worrying for her life she's feeling sick. Terrible thing.**_

_**But oh my gosh, things are going to start happening! Well, they've been happening, yeah, but they're going to REALLY start happening, and I don't think you'll expect how~  
><strong>_


	17. tingene bliver værre

**_AN Bluh bluh bluh this chapter was pretty much me puking out whatever I thought would fit OTL HOPEFULLY you won't be able to notice. Either way, I suggest you listen to the song _A Cannon_ by Regina Spektor whilst reading the next few chapters. It is (surprisingly) the only song that made me think of this story, and I think that's something special._**

Alice sighed, wanting to stay in her bed for forever. Her insomnia had continued, and try as she might, she simply could not snatch back even a few hours of sleep.

"Something wrong, Princess?" a voice murmured over her shoulder, and she pressed her lips together. Blood had come in, book and candle in hand, asking to read. A new step had been added to the ritual now, so that instead of heading back to his room after reading, he would politely ask her if he could climb in, which she generally accepted. The times she hadn't, Blood's smile had been mischievous and a little disbelieving, like he was asking her if she really had just issued that challenge. Then he would do something they both knew she'd never been able to resist; he began to flirt.

Tonight was one of those times, it seemed. Some time around two he closed his book about sailors and selkies, setting it on her end table. Alice was only half awake, despite the fact that they'd been talking almost continuously since he'd come in at a quarter to midnight. Blood got to his feet, and asked if he would be allowed to join her. Alice said no, because she knew that saying yes would mean that she would have to move, and she was just too tired. Blood gave her _that look, _then bent over her, a hand on either side of her.

_Here we go,_ she thought distantly, looking up in his smiling face, which was only a few inches away from hers.

"No?" he asked, "What do you mean '_no'?_"

"I mean what I said," she mumbled, rolling over (the most strenuous course of action she could currently take, considering that he had effectively pinned her arms under the blankets and that she was absolutely exhausted). Blood's lips skated her jaw, making her shiver, and he whispered "Oh, really?" in her ear, making her wriggle a little farther under the blankets.

Blood pulled them back away from her face, kissing her on the lips. That woke her up a little, and despite herself, she let him deepen the kiss. He kissed her neck, working down to where it connected with her shoulders. She shied away, frowning at him and mumbling for him to stop, but Blood just laughed.

"I think you like this," Blood murmured into her skin, and she huffed irritatedly, not answering. "In fact, I think you like this _a lot_."

"Leave me alone," she told him, and he looked at her.

"That's not a no."

"That's not a _yes,_ either," Alice pointed out, forcing her hand to cover the side of her neck, which was burning from the feel of his kisses.

"Are you sure?" he asked, running his thumb over her lower lip, and she scowled at him.

"I am _positive,_ now go away."

Blood pressed his hand against her thigh, and even though she had a thick layer of blankets and sheets between her and him, Alice felt the prickling of nerves. She scooted away again, inadvertently allowing enough room for Blood, and he immediately pulled back the covers, sliding in beside her.

Alice stared at him as blew out his candle and settled in beside her, a little incredulous at just how devious he'd been.

"You know, you could have just walked around if you were going to ignore me either way," she said, thoroughly irritated. Blood smirked at her in the darkness, thumb tracing her jaw.

"I rather think that if I _had_ just gone around to the other side, I would have been ignoring you even more."

Alice turned her back to him, deciding not to mention the fact that she always slept better when he was there, his arms wrapped firmly around her. She drifted to sleep and when she awoke, it was to that awful grogginess that she had by now become accustomed to.

Several days had passed since the Marquis and his party had left the palace, much to her relief. They had almost experienced another episode like the one at lunch, and she had been convinced that the only thing that stopped Blood from going all out had been her giving his hand the death grip.

She had felt no better over the last few days, headaches and nausea continuing for no discernible reason. Emily had suggested that maybe it was the weather, a the palace doctor said maybe she was allergic to something in bloom, maybe she really might just be sick. Whatever the reason, Alice had begun to take a myriad of medicines to help her get better, though nothing really helped.

And even though there was the potential that she was sick with something contagious, Blood had insisted on kissing her more than ever. Alice wasn't even sure what this was, other than maybe he had decided that he really just like kissing her. The thought was a little embarrassing, but thankfully he kept himself in check until they were somewhere private. The most Alice ever remembered doing in public was holding his hand, and even then where no one could see.

Blood shifted beside her, then opened his eyes.

"Good morning, Alice," he whispered, and she pressed her lips together, still not forgiving him for his trick the previous night. He seemed to sense what was wrong, though he didn't look at all remorseful.

"You're not upset with me," he told her, and she gave an audible _hmph!_

"Is that so?" she asked, and Blood nodded, kissing her on the lips. Alice tucked in her lips, and Blood raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, really now?" he asked, and she nodded, which just made him kiss her neck. He stopped after giving only one, however, making her shiver as he breathed in and out, alternately hot and cold air rushing over her skin. Blood smiled, she could feel it against her neck, which only made her scowl.

_"Alice,_" he finally sighed, "are you really going to make me beg?"

"I think you've proved that you don't exactly feel like you need permission to kiss me," Alice said tartly, making him laugh.

"Quite right," he said then kissed her again, and this time, Alice found herself kissing back. This was dangerous territory, she knew that, knew that she shouldn't be letting Blood put his hand on her hip, shouldn't allow him to clench his hand so tightly on her arm or kiss her throat. She also knew that she shouldn't be encouraging Blood, tangling her fingers in his dark, dark hair or biting at his lips. She knew this, but...Alice just didn't care.

Blood's hand was directly on her thigh, and she was pulling at his night shirt, tugging it to his shoulders and over his head. She pressed her hands to his bare shoulder blades, and Blood's other hand was moving up past her ribcage, brushing her skin just enough to make her shiver, his mouth on hers, opening her lips-

Blood paused, drawing away ever so slightly. They were both frozen for a moment, Alice confused as to what had just happened. Had the door opened and someone spoken and she not heard it, or was it something else?

He closed his eyes for a moment as if gathering himself, then pulled away completely, drawing his hands out from under her night gown. She stared at him as he sat upright, back facing her. This was...this was odd, to say the least. For once, it was _Blood_ pulling away, stopping before things went too far and not her. At the back of her mind, Alice felt that something was off, something obvious, something that she should be seeing, right away.

Blood glanced back at her, a wry smile on his lips.

"I can't right now, Princess. Important things getting in the way," he said, but this...wasn't strictly true. She didn't doubt that he had important things to be doing, he was _always_ doing something, but that hadn't been the reason that he'd pulled away. Something was troubling him, something that had just come to him at that moment and Alice didn't know what it was. More than that, he didn't want to tell her. Sure, he hadn't told her dozens of things, but this seemed _important_, and it also seemed to involve her. Alice's feeling of worry deepened as he quietly picked up his night shirt and walked out, unsure as to what she was supposed to do now.

* * *

><p>It was the next day that Alice first heard it, a distant, deep sound, rather like one large rock falling onto another. She turned her head even though Emily was trying to pin her hair into place, earning the vaguest of irritated noises from the maid.<p>

"Alice, please, don't suddenly jerk your head about when I'm trying to pin your hair into place. I nearly stabbed you in the ear!"

"Oh...sorry, Emily, I didn't mean to, I just...did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Emily muttered, fitting a pin into place.

"I don't know, something outside. It sounded rather like a..._cannon._"

"Like on a ship?" she asked absently, and Alice nodded. "Well, m'lady, I can't account for that. There's no place for a great big boat to be sailing around here, unless you count the lake."

"The lake?" Alice asked, interest piqued.

"Mm-hm," Emily mumbled around a pin she had just placed into her mouth. She pulled it out once her hands were free and pointed in the general direction of the lake. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about it. It's a ways from the palace, but it's very large. Either way, there's no way for a ship to get into it. Its only inlets and outlets are streams barey big enough for a row boat."

"Hmm...I rather think I'd like to see this lake," Alice mused as Emily placed the final pin.

"It is rather pretty, but I think you'd much prefer it in the summer time. The water's too cold for anything but sightseeing."

Alice didn't hear the rest of what Emily said, mind preoccupied. A lake... The more she thought about it, the more Alice wanted to go and see it. And even though Emily insisted that there was no way that a ship could be near by (much less a cannon on the ship), she was convinced of what she had heard.

Preparations finished, Alice left for a tea party with Blood. It was to be out in the gardens, and she walked quickly to the door, slipping out and heading towards the proper area. When she arrived, everything was in place and Blood was standing by the table.

"Good afternoon, Alice," he said, and she smiled at him, walking closer. "You look rather marvelous, today. Is this just for me?"

"Maybe. Or maybe I simply enjoy dressing up from time to time," she answered, sitting in the chair he pulled out for her.

The tea was poured and they began chatting amiably, nothing amiss except for the slightest feeling of foreboding in the back of Alice's mind. She couldn't quite place it, but was sure that it had something to do with the way Blood kept _staring_ at her, looking at practically nothing else. It wasn't like he was gawking at her, but...it unsettled her how he seemed to be _scrutinizing_ her, like she might do something bizarre without warning.

When they had finished their tea, Blood stood up and offered his hand to her.

"Would you care for a walk around the gardens?"

"That sounds lovely, yes," she said, standing up and taking his arm. He turned her around, leading her through the trellis they had passed through at the party. She glanced at Blood, wondering if he was taking her to the rose garden, as well as what he intended to do once they got there.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked, noticing the way she was watching him, and Alice lowered her eyes, thinking that she had been doing the same thing that had made her so uncomfortable.

"No, I'm just...thinking. So much has happened lately that I hardly know what to do with myself now that it's all done."

"Yes, things _do_ see to be rather dull, don't they? The only way to remedy that is to have a ball, don't you think?"

"We're having a ball?" Alice asked, feeling a little surprised. She hadn't noticed any preparations, but then, she hadn't seen any for the _last_ ball at Heart Palace, either.

"Yes. I sent word out this morning. Heart Palace has always been rather famous for its impromptu parties, and everyone will be positively scrambling to come."

"When is it set?"

"In a week."

"Is this part of some tactical play, or are you just doing this because you're bored?"

In answer, Blood merely smiled.

They had entered the rose garden by now, and again Alice was almost breathless at how beautiful the whole thing was. The roses were starting to wilt, unable to handle the frosts that had hit lately, but they were still gorgeous. There was also something that Alice hadn't experienced on her previous trip here - the smell. Before, the vast majority of the flowers had been closed for the night, so the existing scent was easily beaten out by the smell of the grass under their feet or the traces of the food from the party. Now, though, the scent of roses was everywhere and would have been overwhelming had it not been so wonderfully sweet. By the time they had taken five steps, she was absolutely grinning. Blood was concealing a smile of his own, though it was probably over how silly she was being rather than at the beauty of the flowers.

"Where exactly is the party going to be?" she asked after a few minutes, when she'd had enough time to gather her head.

"In one of the ballrooms. It's too cold to have it outside like before."

She nodded, then remembered what Emily had told her.

"Blood...where is the lake?" she asked after a pause, and he looked at her curiously.

"The lake? It's over there." He pointed to her left, and she nodded. "Why?"

"Oh, I just...I heard some people talking about it, and I realized that I'd never seen it, even though I've been here for a while already. I was thinking that I'd go see it sometime."

"There's a painting of it in your room," Blood told her, and she blinked in surprise.

"Really?" She thought back to the large portrait hanging on one of her walls, all of dark greens and sultry blues and coy silvers. The lake looked like a large magical mirror, framed with ominous pines and large boulders. She had admired it on several occasions, but hadn't thought much more on it.

They left the rose garden and continued walking for a few minutes until a manservant rushed towards Blood.

"Your Highness, excuse me, there is an urgent message from the south."

"From whom?" he asked, and Alice could tell from the way he narrowed his eyes, this was serious.

"From the Lord Ca-"

"I see," he said, cutting the man off. "Did this message come by letter?"

"No, Your Highness, it came by a messenger. Right ragged, he was, looked like he'd come here in only a day."

Blood nodded and pulled himself away from Alice, hurrying to the palace. He glanced back at her and she smiled, trying to smother her worry.

The next few days passed without much event, though Alice couldn't get the thought of boats and water and cannons out of her head. What she really wanted to do was go down to that lake, though she never had the chance. She instead focused on the thought of the ball, which was promising to be something rather enjoyable. Food and decorations were carted in, as well as guests, filling up the numerous rooms in Heart Palace.

One thing that Alice found highly interesting was that even though the nobility knew the truth about Vivaldi and probably Blood, they didn't hesitate in rushing to the capital to have one single party.

_Honestly_, she thought, _what kind of foolish self-fulfilling people **are **these?_

On the night of the ball, however, when she saw the ballroom and lounges at their finest, she could understand the scramble to the palace. Before, Alice had considered the furnishings to be elegant and pretty, but now everything shone with a radiance she hadn't thought possible. Flowers had been brought in, food platters beautifully arranged and statues polished to their absolute best. And then there were the people! The ball was actually a masquerade, and people had pulled on their costumes with obvious enthusiasm. The dresses were rich and vibrant, suits dark and lovely, the masks mysterious and incredibly detailed.

She herself was dressed as a crane, her mask flowing into a slight beak at the bridge of her nose. Her dress was large and white, with black lace and red accents. Alice wandered the crowd, thinking that for how wonderful everything was to look at, the conversation was a little lacking. She smiled and made nice, trying to hide her irritation at people misunderstanding her jests and statements. Alice could see it in their eyes as they tried to figure out just what she meant, whether she was being serious or not and just deciding that it was easiest to nod and smile big.

_When can I leave this place_? she eventually found herself wondering, eager to be gone and have a few minutes of silence to herself. Several times she was asked to dance, by both men she had never seen before and those she'd seen around the palace, like the Prime Minister, Elliot and even the knave Ace. She refused or accepted them on a whim, dancing with an earl she'd seen a handful of times around the palace, then the Prime Minister that absolutely gushed when she accepted, a lord and then Elliot. Her dance with him had been a slow waltz, the couples swirling about with a flurry of silks and decorative feathers, flashes of sequins and metallic beading.

"Are you enjoying the party, Alice?" he asked, looking almost as tired as she felt.

"Oh, yes, I suppose." She pressed her lips together and looked away, which made him laugh.

"Don't worry," he reassured, "these things get better with time. You'll get used to it."

"But I don't _want_ to," she sighed, feeling a little exasperated. "No one understands a thing I say, it's always about them, and even when I _know_ how the conversation's going to go, I insist on starting it anyways."

Elliot laughed lightly, shaking his head. After a few moments, however, his expression grew somber.

"Are you...feeling any better? We haven't spoken a lot lately, but I've heard that you've been suffering through an illness."

"Oh, that." It was true that Alice still felt poorly, but she had become accustomed to it, for lack of a better term. The nausea had thankfully died down, but headaches and even stomachaches continued. Alice had realized that she could either mope in bed, guzzling hot soup and medicine every second of the day, or she could suck it up and work through it. She wasn't going to be the spoiled princess that was waited on hand a foot, no sir.

"I...mm, I'm not feeling much better, but I can't let that stop me," she said, smiling. Elliot looked worried for a second, then broke into a reluctant smile. He spun her, then they exchanged partners briefly, as the dance required.

"Well, if you're sure you feel well enough, then I can't say much to stop you."

The song ended shortly after, and Alice edged off the dance floor, tried heading out of the room altogether, but then Blood was there, scooping her into his arms.

"A dance, Princess?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes, thinking that she didn't have much of a choice. He looked stunning, though not to her surprise. His own costume was dark, made entirely out of black and silver. She couldn't quite tell what he was, as he was merely wearing a dressier three piece suit than usual, had no mask but did have a black top hat decorated with a single white feather.

"What are you supposed to be?" she asked lightly as he guided her back to the dance floor, and he smiled.

"That, Alice, is something I find highly useful about a costume party. I can dress however I want, and people will merely assume what they want when it comes to my 'costume'."

"So...are you saying that you are not, in fact, dressed as something in particular?"

"Quite possibly," he murmured into her ear, which made her mouth quirk. "I could be anything, a bear, a black cobra, a dark angel..."

"Isn't that a little presumptuous?" she asked, but he merely smiled, taking his place across from her just before the music began.

The dance was too fast for speech, and by the time they had finished, she was panting for breath. Blood was smirking at her as she clutched his arm, him escorting her off the dance floor.

"Are you alright?" he asked once they were out of the way of other people wanting to dance. "Your eyes look a bit distant, and we can't have the beloved princess fainting in front of everyone, now can we?"

"I'm fine," she puffed, making a face at him. "I was just thinking."

"About?" Blood inquired, effortlessly selecting two flutes of champagne from the nearby waiter.

"Boats," Alice said flatly, and he raised an eyebrow, handing her a flute.

"Indeed? That seems like a peculiar train of thought at a ball."

"Not at all," she said, tilting her head over at a nearby woman, wearing a dress with an enormous skirt and holding a mask to her face, fashioned after a whale. "That woman's costume is just so realistic I began thinking about whalers and their boats and then on to how they vary from other fishing vessels."

"Whaling?" he asked, and she just knew he was suppressing a comment about whether it was the costume or the woman's actual body proportions that reminded Alice of the creatures. "That's a little dark for a party, don't you think?" She shrugged, taking a sip from her champagne.

"That's a little ironic, coming from the man that suggested he might be dressed as a dark angel, don't you think?" she quipped, and Blood laughed into his flute of champagne.

"Now, Alice, what do you say we make our clever get away from all of this mess?" he asked, and she smirked at him over her flute.

"Are you sure we've stayed around long enough to hold appearances?"

"Quite sure. I'm bored to tears, and if you're distracted by _whaling_, then obviously you couldn't care less about these people."

"Am I that transparent?" she asked, watching the new set of dancers swirl about on the dance floor. Ace was dancing with the gay abandon of a child, a dame she'd been briefly introduced to in his arms. Peter, who was only a few couples away, looked much less enthusiastic, even annoyed, if the angle of his rabbit ears were anything to go by. If she had to guess, Alice would have said that Vivaldi had made the Prime Minister dance with someone just to get him out of her hair.

"Not at all. I'm simply that amazing at reading you."

"In that case, let's go," she said, setting her drink down on a near by table. Blood laughed as he lead her through the crowd, making brief small talk with the people they passed and flashing winning smiles, though he very rarely stopped.

With hardly a backwards glance, the two of them slipped through the doors, both immensely pleased to have stolen the next few hours for themselves.

_**AN asdfjkl; alice why are you feeling so gross i mean seriously. I AM SICK OF WRITING THISSSSSSSSSSS. Hopefully, we will be able to escape these ailments as soon as possible (hopefully).**_

_**Review, tell me what you thought, and oh wow, look at that, I updated before a month passed :O (It would have come out sooner, but this mess...it cockblocked me hard core when it came to inspiration)  
><strong>_


	18. vi skall sjunka

_**AN This chapter was...incredible to write. I wrote it in one sitting, which was weird because I had terrible writers block, trying to think of how to begin. Then, when I started, words poured out of my fingers (I thank the Jason Mraz station on Pandora). I don't know if it's all coherent or not, but I'm pretty confident. And, once more, thank you to everyone who faved, review and alerted.**_

Things had changed, Alice noticed. A slight shift had occurred, and her normal duties, no matter how few, had been removed from her. Invitations to parties were turned down, requests for feasts had been denied and the like. At first, Alice had thought it was because one of the Dupre's were tired after the hubbub of late, but then a dark thought hit her.

What if...what if they were keeping people away, not out of exhaustion, but because of some other devious reason. Maybe the mafia had a terrible plot unfolding, and she hadn't realized it. If a large amount of people were around, then it was bound to be discovered. She quickly discarded this thought, it was ridiculous. Like Blood would let something so conspicuous as turning everyone away from the palace happen to hide one of his schemes. Then what was the reason?

The answer came by accident. She had been wandering the library when two maids had come in to clean. She mostly ignored their chatter, but then heard the words 'delirious princess'.

"...I mean, who would have ever thought?" one of them was saying, and Alice felt her stomach drop.

"I know! When I first saw her walking up the steps, she had seemed like the most sure minded creature anyone could know!"

It was her. They were talking about her. She, Alice, was the delirious princess. She pressed a hand to her mouth, not sure if she could keep from letting out a sound of shock.

"And she was so clever!" the other said, and she could just see the woman nodding. "The way she bantered with people or stopped disputes so easily, no one would have ever supposed her mind would slip away."

"Well, spending so much time with the prince would do that to anyone. Can you imagine being married to him? Just think about the awful things he'd do to you, the mind games! It would be awful."

"Poor lamb. At least she still has her health. When I saw her in the hall yesterday, she looked as pretty as a rose! Good people must keep _something_, I suppose."

Alice shook her head. She couldn't listen to this, this, this..._nonsense!_ Silently as she could, she slipped from the library, headed outside to the gardens.

How long had people been saying this? What she'd heard...it was tantamount to saying she was stark raving made. Was she_ really_ viewed as the demented princess? No wonder there were no events of late. Blood was hiding her away, now that she wasn't fit for the public. Alice felt sick, not just the blasted nausea she'd been suffering from for so long. Tears pricked her eyes as she clutched at the trunk of a birch tree. Only an intense amount of will prevented her from heaving right there into the bushes.

This...this was insane. People thought her _delirious?_ Was it because she had been so ill lately? But no, her symptoms had never interfered with any of her social activities, she spoke as eloquently as ever and her attitude hadn't changed. Or maybe they had always thought she was strange, right from the beginning. It wouldn't really surprise her, this _was_ Artlind, but she would have heard! There's no way Alice would have missed these rumors for _months_.

She let go of the branch, taking a few more tentative steps. Delirious. The word had seemed so trivial before, something you might apply to someone who wasn't quite there mentally, a happy term, infinitely better than 'mad' or 'unbalanced'. Now, though...it was a slap in the face.

_Delirious._

Alice sat heavily on a bench, contemplating what this all meant. The maids had spoken like this was common knowledge, like it had been going on for years. When had she first noticed a change in things?

Before the masquerade ball, she realized, heart sinking. That had been several weeks ago, almost four. People had been thinking her unwell for over a month? The thought terrified her. Alice knew what happened to the insane. They were kept hidden, shipped off to distant infirmaries in the mountains, or locked away in secret wings if the family couldn't bare parting with them. Would Blood do that?

The answer was immediate. Yes, if someone he had used to further his own career, one of his pawns, turned out to be crazy, he would have them removed from the picture at quickest convenience, unless they had some immediate use. Alice hunched over her clasped hands, pressing them into her forehead. No, no, she was jumping to terrible conclusions. Blood wouldn't send her off, but he'd definitely lock her away. He could use the sympathy of the people in limitless ways. Vivaldi may have been a decent ruler in the public's eyes, but pity sometimes overruled love or respect. Poor Prince, they would say, he's had such bad luck. Dead mother, dead father, crazy wife and the mafia nipping at his heels...yes, he could use that very well.

Alice bit her cheek forcefully, having to remind herself that she was not, in fact, insane. Her breath sped up at all of these dark contemplations, creeping to hyperventilation, before she clapped her hands over her mouth and nose, forcing herself to breathe more slowly.

_Calm down, calm down, Alice, it's alright, things will work out. Calm down, Blood's not going to hurt you. Like you just said, he might lock you away at the very worst. He's not going to **kill** you._

The thought brought her up short. _Would_ he kill her if he truly thought her unbalanced? He could, probably would had she been anyone else, but the way he had acted lately...it made her think that he actually cared about her. The night they had had that dinner with Gowland, for example, there had obviously been more than a physical attraction on his part. Before, though, before Underlen, before the party...maybe he might have killed her. Strangled her, or possibly have slit her wrists while she was in the bath, making it seem like the suicide of a deeply troubled woman.

The thoughts made her feel sick again, breath rushing in and out though not making her head a bit clearer. Tears dripped down her nose and onto the perfectly green grass as she knotted her fingers in her hair, feeling hopeless.

What was she to do? What had spawned these awful rumors, anyways? She couldn't think of a single thing, unless people had mistaken her jests for things she truly believed, but their wasn't much chance that people had been mistaken en masse, not like that...

The wind changed, bringing with it the faint sound she had become so familiar with; a cannon.

Alice's breath hitched at this. Did they think her mad because she heard cannons in the distance and was suddenly obsessed with boats and wanted to go see the lake, even though it was mid-autumn and very cold? Her head spun, Alice didn't know_ what_ to think. What powers did she posses to defeat something like rumors, especially about her being mad? Madness was like every other ambiguous, vague and uncaptureable thing out there. People were terrified of it. Terrified because they thought it like aging or death, and didn't understand, thinking it could spread with a single look.

After a while, Alice stood up and slowly walked into the palace, feeling tired and defeated.

She passed the rest of the day by brooding, sleeping and reading the numerous books in her room. She took dinner in her room, picking at the slices of beef, mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. They all tasted like sawdust.

Some time later, the door separating her and Blood's rooms opened and he stepped in. She responded to his soft greeting with a single nod. Alice didn't care that she was wearing little more than her shift, or that her hair was a mess or that she couldn't stop fidgeting. What she did care about was the way Blood's eyes took in every detail, his face a smooth, careful mask.

"You missed dinner," he said, and she shrugged, grip tightening on the book she had been reading. He was standing by the end of her bed, hand on the bedpost. He was handsome as ever, but it was tempered somewhat with the dark, dark thoughts swirling in her head.

"I didn't feel like going," she said simply, and he gave a crooked smile.

"So now we're starving ourselves?"

"I'm not starving myself," Alice retorted, voice tight. "I ate in here."

"Oh, forgive me, you're being a hermit."

Alice sat up straight, tossing the book aside and scowling at him. Everything he said seemed to be him laying down the reasoning for her to be locked away, and she hated him for it. Blood watched her, then sat at her feet.

"What's wrong, Princess?" he asked, expression softening. Alice bit her lip, rubbing her thumb. His glanced at her hand, then looked back up at her face.

"I don't know what to do," she admitted, voice sounding soft and scared and nearly broken. Blood looked at her a moment, then reached over, pulling her to his side. Alice obediently moved so that she ended up sitting next to him, letting him wrap his arms around her side. She rested her head on his shoulder, speaking softly.

"Everyone thinks I'm _mad,_" she whispered, tears filling her voice. "I know I'm not, I _shouldn't _be, but it's so hard to think so when everyone's whispering it behind your back."

"I don't think you're mad," Blood told her, and she gave a choked laugh. So he wasn't denying the fact that everyone thought she was crazy. And what consolation did he really think those words would provide, coming from an insane prince?

_No wonder everyone is alright with me being mad,_ she thought with a streak of hysteria. _They've been under insane monarchs for so long, they've probably forgotten what a sound mind is like._

"Blood, Blood, please, promise me you won't hide me away," she asked, hand clenched in his shirt. He wasn't wearing a suit jacket and his vest was unbuttoned, so maybe he had been undressing when he decided to come see her.

He didn't respond for a moment, and Alice pulled her head away from him, staring frantically into his eyes.

"_Please_, Blood," she breathed, tears spilling down her cheeks. He placed a hand on her cheek, saying "I promise. You're not going anywhere."

She nodded, tried to give a smile but just broke into more tears.

"Am I crazy?" Alice whispered, but he never answered, simply kissed her hair and held her a little tighter.

They stayed like that for a while, sitting beside each other and holding on like the world was being ripped apart. And for Alice, it was. He rocked her gently, the clock ticking away, finally ringing midnight.

He stood up, gently pulling out of her arms. Alice stared after him like a lost child, but he didn't say anything as he bent down, giving her a soft kiss.

"Please stay," she breathed, or maybe she just thought it, because Blood silently walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Things did not improve after that. Her paranoia grew, and she simply could not stand being around people for very long. All she could think, over and over, was '_I can not stand this. It needs to stop.'_ But how could she stop it? The only thing she could identify as a mental abnormality, and those wouldn't stop for the life of her. After days of worrying and trying her best to be 'normal' and good, Alice decided on a course of action.

The night was bright, a giant moon in the navy sky, and even though it was cold, Alice didn't feel it. She hung out her open window, gazing down at the tree by her window. This whole thing reminded her of the night she had been kidnapped. That had felt like a dream, too.

_Dear Blood,_

She smiled, because this time, no one was forcing her to go but herself. Alice turned back to her room, grabbing the makeshift rope she had made (an hour's work of tying together sheets and blankets, well spent).

_I know this is all so strange, but I can't stand it anymore._

The dull thump of the not-rope made her pause, listen for Blood shifting in bed. She sighed in relief when she heard nothing, then took careful hold, backing out the window.

_I've woken up once, and twice and a million times, each day hoping it would get better, but it doesn't and it won't._

Alice held in a laugh as she reached the tree, imaging the faces of everyone she had ever known. They'd look like shocked fish, she decided. Mouths open, eyes bugged and scrambling for the doors because this surely was the action of a mad princess.

_Things have been so wonderful here, at Heart Palace. Thank you for that._

The letter she had written sat folded on her nightstand, Blood's name written on it in pretty black ink. He had been coming in every night for a while now, probably because he was afraid as to what she'd do when given hours and hours and hours alone.

_Please forgive me for every awful thing I've done. I have given you love and anger, and I meant them both at the time, but now, I only mean the love. This is why I'm writing this letter._

Her feet were numb by the time she reached the ground, a good thing because they would probably be weeping tears of pain from the scrapes they had received, climbing down the tree (shoes were far too tiresome for a journey that needed her wide awake). Alice glanced around, started running.

_Don't think I'm going because I'm angry, or because I can't stand you, it's just...this place is smothering me. People staring, the pictures staring, the floor staring, it's all too much._

She couldn't remember the last time she had run like this. Perhaps when she was a child, a waist length small with thin legs and thin fingers.

_I'm leaving because I have to. Blood, don't worry about how I'll get where I'm going, there's a boat that will take_ _me._

The sounds of her lungs gasping were odd in her ears - didn't they know how to be quiet? It was like they were weeping at leaving Heart Palace (not running away. This was for the good of everyone, and running away was bad). This was a glorious day, wonderful day, wonderful _night,_ she corrected, laugh echoing off the trees and grass.

_I will miss you, so, so much, but I've known that I've had to leave for a while, now. I've known it all my life, maybe._

Her dress caught in her legs, her cloak snapped in the breeze, but she didn't care as her feet glided across the cobblestones, sharp, cold and powerful enough to keep her mind clear. Lights were springing up in the palace behind her, but Alice didn't look back (looking back was for cowards too scared to run properly).

_I wish you could come with me, but you have a job here, a country to run. You can still take the throne with a mad wife that ran away, right?_

The grass was becoming uneven, rippled and marked with holes, trying to keep people back from the treasure beyond. Alice didn't mind, she knew where she had to go, and this was it and nothing had changed.

_Can you do a couple favors for me? It might be a list, as I'm not here to ask them in an even, measures manner._

Noises had spread through the air, shouts, yells, calls, songs, chirps, clangs of drums, this, that and the other, but she could still pick out the cannon. It was her little drum beat, her pied piper, leading her on and on and on.

_Say goodbye to everyone for me. I couldn't do it myself, because the ship's about to leave, and I can't wait any longer. They should understand._

The glitter-glimpse of light on water made her heart fly. She beamed, taking longer and longer strides, slipping, sliding, flying, because the boat was there to take her away, and she'd dare not miss it.

_If you blame yourself, forgive yourself. You might not understand this at first, but you will, eventually._

The sandy beach of the lake came into view, and she let out a triumphant shout. '_Wait, wait!_' sounded in her head (but then maybe she heard her voice yelling it and thought nothing at all), and she stared at the placid water, waiting, waiting.

_Tell everyone to calm down and listen to each other. They talk and talk and hear nothing at all and I think that's a problem._

Feet were pounding after her, out of rhythm with her heart as she looked for the boat. Then she realized; she'd have to swim.

_Finally, tell everyone to be like the water. If they were calm and smooth and coherent with everything else would improve._

The water was far colder than the air or ground or dew had been, but she kept going, water running up her dress and making it hard to breathe (but then, she could breathe later, when she was on deck of the boat, rocking like there were no cares in the word).

_I would if I could, but I can't so I don't. My words get all jumbled but yours, Blood, yours are a beautiful song that flows and flows and flows..._

Alice felt her chest seize, it was cold, cold, too cold, so cold, but she waded in up to her ribs. Sounds blurred into the giggle of the lake water, telling her she'd have to swim, try her luck. Alice ducked her head under the water.

_Blood...remember that I love you. And remember that this isn't a goodbye. _

Weeds grabbed at her chest (naughty, devious things) and the air pushed her down, making it hard to move, but she pushed on. The boat would be there, she just had to have faith.

_But it's not a hello, either. It's...a notice. We will meet again, after all of this stops and I can breathe openly again._

After a few minutes, it was clear this wasn't working. The water pushed at her, jumped down her throat in a terrible game she didn't want to play. Couldn't it just leave her alone?

_Blood, darling Blood, stay safe. __My boat's coming, it's here, and if you're lucky..._

She tried standing back up, but there was no ground, the water and swallowed it and left nothing for her to touch. Anger snapped at her chest (clearly, this water wasn't too be trusted with precious things).

_Yours will come, too._

Sound splashed in her ears, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from. Was someone in the air talking to her, or someone under it? She pushed her head under, listening.

_Love,_

No, nothing. The fish weren't choosing the speak with her, just yet (rude little creatures). Then it was someone above the water...

_Alice._

_"Alice!" _She snapped her head around, shocked, then broke into a broad smile at the sight of Blood. He was on the shore, so small, wearing only a shirt and pants (having no shoes would make his feet cry, he should have listened to Alice's). Alice raised a hand, waving and spitting out water.

"Blood!"

He ran into the water, something that her so happy she forgot to kick to keep herself afloat. The waves were becoming bigger and bigger, obviously trying to make up for Blood coming in, and her head slipped under, once, twice, four times before he spoke again.

"Alice, don't go out there!"

"Come with me!" she shouted back, the water and cold grabbing hold of her chest and squeezing tight because they wanted to keep her all to themselves. "We can go together!"

"Alice!" he shouted again, desperation ripping his voice in half, and the flutters of something scary started in her. Why did he sound so scared? "_There is no boat!"_

Her smile fell, fell like a bird whose wings suddenly fell off.

"Yes there..." she began, but panic replaced the flutters, rolling around like a giant dog (one with mud and grime on its coat, getting the floors and walls inside Alice all dirty, no less).

She turned, coughing as a wave splashed in her face. The boat that had been looming so large, so, so large, like the night sky itself was gone.

"_Where'd it go?_" she shrieked, the sound of a two terrible animals, fear and horror, fighting in her throat. "Blood, _it's gone!_"

Tears trickled down her cheeks (or the lake had turned salty) as she turned to search for him. He was so far away, just like her confidence.

"Stay there, Alice!" he gasped, swimming closer and closer, but it was a chasm, a great ocean between them. The lack of boat had torn at everything inside her. Did she know how to swim? When did it get warm? No, it was cold, no warm, no-

"I can't," she said, sobbed, really, aware of the water soaking her face, tugging at her hair and tugging at her dress. She didn't like this, she decided. Alice needed to be dry and safe and not have her hair pulled and keep her dress on, and she needed Blood.

"Blood," she gasped, head falling under the water more and more often, arms flailing for his. Then, a miracle, he was there, grabbing at her hand. His eyes were green as the grass she had cried on days before, and she wanted to go back to that blessed, blessed moment. He held her like she would fall apart (maybe she would, water was a tricky thing), and slowly turned, dragging them back to the shore.

"Blood," Alice repeated, and he glanced at her, eyes wild.

"What, Alice," he panted, and she felt so calm now, the fear and everything nasty spilling into her tears to be bled away.

"I'm sorry."

She couldn't keep her hand closed. Alice tried, she really, really did, but it just kept falling open. She was just thankful that the last thing she saw was his wonderful, wonderful face before she slipped for a final time under the black, black water.

_**AN DO YOU KNOW SEE HOW WONDERFUL IT WAS TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER? I LIVE FOR THIS STUFF. I actually decided on this twist way back in September when I first heard 'A Cannon', so I've been waiting and waiting for this to come! With this, the story won't last much longer, so prepare thineselves for the (hopefully) dramatic and action packed last few chapters, and, of course, the end of the story.**_


	19. tan geri

_**AN THIS CHAPTER. I JUST...I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT IT. I am also very, very sorry it is so late, I can only guess at what you guys have gone through, but it's here now. Hopefully a few questions have been cleared up ;)**_

_**AND OH MY GOSH, IT'S BEEN A YEAR ALREADY! I just realized, and it's kind of a crazy thing! I wish I had updated a little bit earlier so I could have gotten it on the exact day, but oh well. Anyways, thank you everyone who has supported me this long, has reviewed every chapter and given me so many wonderful comments. I doubt I would have gotten this far otherwise. Thank you.**_

It was warm. Alice couldn't really remember what exactly was warm, nor could she tell why she ached or why her head pounded, but she didn't really care. Around her, soft voices were whispering back and forth, hushed, urgent, but she could drown them out like the buzzing of bees. All she wanted to do was drift back to sleep, breathe in the sweet smell of flowers and not be bothered.

A hand brushed her cheek, then pushed the hair back from her neck. She tried to tell the person to go away, but it only came out as a short mumble, hardly making it past her lips. Her lids were still too heavy to open, and after a few seconds the hand was pulled away from her neck, the murmur of words continuing.

Time was strange for her; it felt like only seconds between each experience, someone holding her hand, a small group of people talking very quietly around her, the soft clatter of what sounded like dishes on each other, but her stiff body said that it was much, much longer. Finally, curiosity got the better of her, and she cracked her eyes open.

She was in her room. Nothing seemed to have changed, except the chair by her bed that Blood had so often sat in was tipped towards the bed, and that there was a cup and bottle resting on the nightstand. Alice closed her eyes - clearly this could wait.

The next thing Alice felt was a hand on her face, the mumble of words. She had the feeling that she was supposed to listen, but the words were muddled, only a few making sense.

"...ce...look...on't wor...I'm h..."

She focused, trying to understand.

"Alice...please...wake up."

A moment passed, and she opened her eyes. Blood's face was right there, expression one that she wasn't familiar with. He sighed slightly, the edges of a smile on his lips as he stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Tired of sleeping?" he asked, a shaky laugh in his voice, and Alice managed a small smile on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but he shook his head, pressing his fingers against her lips.

"No, don't bother. The doctor says you don't have much strength anyway - why waste them on words?"

"I thought...words were important," she whispered anyways, and he smiled again.

"That's what I'm told, but you never know," he whispered, and Alice pushed her hand up to hold onto his. Blood's brow furrowed like his thoughts had suddenly turned worrisome, but she Alice just closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.

The next time she awoke, Emily was in the room. Alice was stronger than before, managing to roll over and look around. The maid turned at the sound, and Alice was about to greet her when Emily gasped and dashed out the room, calling "She's awake! She's awake, Alice, the princess, she's awake!"

Alice stared after her, utterly confused as to why being awake was so remarkable. A few minutes later, Emily re-entered, Blood and another man at her heels.

"Good afternoon, Princess," the last man said, smiling slightly. He had glasses, dark hair and beard, and a lined face. "I'm Doctor Brand...do you remember what happened before waking up here?"

Alice frowned, shaking her head slowly. A dark feeling of dread filled her stomach, something that told her she didn't really want to know.

"Well...to put it delicately, you suffered from a serious...ah...mental episode. During this, you wrote a letter describing how you were running away to 'another life'. After wards, you ran to the lake and...nearly drowned."

She stared at him, eyes wide as she struggled to process this. Mental episode? Nearly_ drowned_? Alice's gaze shifted to Blood, to Emily, trying to figure out if this was one big tasteless joke. Their faces were serious, though; Emily worried, Blood stoic, Doctor Brand a detached sort of concern. Alice shook her head, trying to break into a smile, a laugh, even.

Blood turned from her, looking down at Emily.

"You are excused," he said shortly, and Emily bobbed a curtsey, about to leave but Alice sat up a little straighter, reaching out for the woman.

"No, please! Can she...can she stay?" Blood leveled a look at her, expression completely unreadable, carved out of stone, but then he nodded, the slightest tip of the head. Emily meekly turned back to the room, hands clasped in front of her. Alice knew that this wasn't strictly proper, but she wanted that sweet comfort that the maid always gave her. She took a breath, turning back to the doctor.

"I'm not sure I understand, Doctor..." she began, that feeling of dread growing ominously. "A letter? I don't recall-"

"Ah, yes, I had a feeling that would happen. See, look now, no reason to worry, no reason to worry! You're not in any trouble mentally, this was...induced."

"Induced?" she asked, utterly bewildered. Lake...lake...it did ring a few bells, the glimmer of the dark water, but nothing so horrible as drowning. She also recalled writing a letter, though she didn't remember what it held other than the farewell.

"Yes. You see...we believe that, over a course of, well, who knows, months maybe, you were poisoned." Alice stared, utterly unable to comprehend this latest development. Brand seemed to sense her confusion and continued.

"Not in the traditional sense, or else you'd be dead intentionally. What you were given was the powdered form of a flower found in the southern parts of the country. Not especially difficult to find, and it's used to dye fabrics or as decoration, but, when it is dried and ingested, it can cause mental disorder. This has been used in the past during war times to take prominent adversaries out of play by having them go out of their mind, but cases of this haven't been heard of for nearly a century. And even then, the doses were large and administered once, and then the victim would suffer intense delusions and generally gravely injure themselves, as you almost did. However, in your case...we believe that it was given to you bit by bit so no one would notice and think that you had broken down by natural causes. Lately your doses increased, causing an episode."

Alice stared at him, then looked at Emily, then finally Blood, trying to figure out how she was supposed to react to this. She'd been _poisoned_, and that made her go temporarily crazy? That was ridiculous!

"Some of the symptoms include...paranoia, preoccupation with a theme or certain object, er, while you were receiving the smaller doses your body would try to fight it off, so you'd have felt perpetually sick, suffering from nausea, head aches, some people even feel mood swings, sometimes a lack of habitions that they usually adhered by...all things you've felt, correct?"

"Yes..." she breathed, breaths coming faster. Alice shook her head, unable to believe it despite this spot on description of how she'd felt for over a month. "Why didn't anyone notice earlier? Why didn't someone put two and two together?"

"Well, as I said, it hasn't been used and an incredibly long time, and it could just have been that you were sick both physically and mentally."

She bit her lip, then gave a shaky nod. Alice didn't want to think on the subject much longer, but...Brand was making sense. She found that she couldn't really look at anyone in the face, the embarrassment of what she'd put them through was too great. She'd sneak little glances at Blood though, trying to figure out what he was thinking. More was coming back to her, the run to the lake, the strange, removed euphoria over the search for the boat and seeing him on the bank of the lake, calling for him to run away with her...

"I...have some questions," she said after a moment, and he leaned closer, seemingly pleased that she was accepting this. "If I could have been just...naturally ill, how _did_ you find out?"

"Well, there were some symptoms that I noticed," Brand said, a flare of pride in his voice. He pulled off his glasses, wiping them gently on his tunic. "Such as prominently blue veins. When the prince pulled you out the lake and carried you up to the safety of the castle, they were a dark blue and stuck out somewhat." Alice glanced down at her forearms, imaging the dark trails along the pale skin of the insides of her arms.

"And after that, we began looking for anything else that seemed amiss. A faint smell of flowers on your lips from your latest meal, a heightened heart beat, an alternate inability to sit still for any period of time and not wanting to do anything...things like that."

"Who did it?" she asked softly, not really seeing the doctor. "If someone was slipping this into my food, who was it? And why?"

"That is being seen to," Blood said unexpectedly, drawing her eyes to him. He wasn't looking at her, his eyes were on her foot board, but his voice was so, so controlled. Alice felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end - that was the voice Blood used when something was amiss, when he was actually wildly angry but didn't want anyone to know. "We found the maid that did it, and I've left her in hands entirely capable of making her explain everything."

An ugly thought crossed Alice, and she suppressed a shiver. There was no doubt in her mind that Blood had tossed this traitorous maid into the hands of the mafia, who were now torturing her out of vengeance more than for the truth. She also noticed the intense irony at his statement - so it was a maid that had betrayed him and poisoned his wife? If Alice hadn't been the direct victim of this, she would have laughed. Served him right for turning one of the Liddel's maids against them in the first place.

Alice nodded, eyes dropping back to her hands. She didn't want all those people in her room anymore, she wanted to just sit there and think about all of what she'd been told.

"Is that all?" she asked softly, and the doctor shook his head, murmuring "No, my lady. That is all. If you feel any worse, don't be afraid to send for me."

With that, he and Emily quietly left the room.

For a moment, Alice thought that Blood would leave as well, but he merely followed them to the door, closing it once they had left. He paused a moment, then turned and looked at Alice. His expression hadn't changed, it was still the awful, cold blankness that promised awful, awful things to come. Was he angry at her, outraged that she had allowed herself to fall prey to a poison that would drive her mad and inadvertently try to kill herself? Or was it for making him worry that he'd have to take care of a demented princess, or for that letter or a thousand other things?

He still wasn't looking at her even as he walked closer, running a hand over the top of her foot board, along her blankets, finally stopping when he reached her. Alice sat there, confused and tired and scared as the moment dragged on, neither of them saying anything. She could have tried to say something, but Alice just knew the words would have caught in her throat...if she'd even known what she might have said.

Blood finally looked up at her, and she felt the air slide out of her, looking into those intense green eyes. Terrible storms were going on behind those eyes, storms that promised death and pain and horror to countless people, but Alice had a feeling that underneath all of that, there was pain. Pain she'd given him, or pain of seeing his wife being twisted into something barely recognizable?

Alice dropped her own eyes, pain stabbing its way into her stomach. Even though she knew that she couldn't really have controlled it...Alice felt guilty. Tears gathered in her eyes, and she took a deep breath, praying they wouldn't fall.

_Not now, not here, not in front of him, please.._.

"Blood, I-I...I'm sorry. I am so, _so_ guilty, and I don't know what..." She trailed off, rubbing her thumb as if that'd make things better. Blood gave a laugh, a tight, hurt little thing, and he shook his head.

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked, and Alice shrugged, struggling to swallow. He didn't _sound_ angry, merely tired.

She chanced another look at him, and his gaze had softened a little, which was a comfort. She opened her mouth, trying to find something else to say, but nothing would come. Alice closed it again, sighing through her nose.

"Are you alright?" he whispered after a moment, and she gave an equally tired smile.

"I don't know, Blood," she said softly, and his brows furrowed. "I don't hear cannons any more, if that's what you're asking."

His smile was bitter, and he took her hand, watching it as he spoke.

"No, Alice, no, I suppose...I'm asking something a little more encompassing than that. But I'm glad to hear that you've gone back to normal, somewhat. I wanted to know...do you even want to be here?"

Alice blinked, confused. Blood slowly looked up at her, and she could see there was an honest question in his face.

"I don't...what?"

"In that letter...even though you were half mad when you wrote it, I have no doubt it contained some truth. You sounded like you wanted to be gone of this place so much...and now I'm asking if you meant it. If you did, then I'll take you away, anywhere you want to go. The mountains, the forests, Underlen...anywhere."

She stared at him, and the tears splashed onto her cheeks. Alice gave a smile, she couldn't help it, and she held his hand back, clasping it in both of hers.

"Blood, no, I don't...don't think anything of that letter. Like you said I was completely unbalanced, but...thank you. For the offer. But, I have to ask, if I did go somewhere, would you accompany me?"

"Of course," Blood said, a small laugh in his voice. They smiled at each other for a moment, and then Blood placed a hand on her cheek. His perfect, controlled demeanor was cracking, just enough to show her how much he _cared_ underneath. She sniffed, and he wiped the tears from her face.

"I was so worried, Alice," he murmured, and she smiled again, because she didn't know what else to do. Alice placed her hand over his, hoping that he would understand that she was sorry, she was sorry and she hated herself for making him hurt and that she _loved him,_ all in that small gesture.

"I never meant it," she managed to get out, pushing back her tears so she could speak. "I-If I had known what was going on, if there was some way..."

"You couldn't have. No one had any idea until it was nearly too late, don't blame yourself."

The horror of the whole thing crashed over her, and Alice dissolved into tears completely, throwing herself forward into his chest and sobbing. She had nearly died, had run headlong, heart glad into what would have surely been her death had Blood not been there to save her. The thoughts crowded her head, talking, talking, talking, telling her exactly what she'd written in the letter, the strange path her thoughts had taken, and finally her looking back at Blood, calling '_Come with me!_'

Blood wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair but saying nothing. After a while, he gently pushed her back against the pillows, and then laid down beside her, one arm protectively thrown over her. Her tears were mostly gone, now, and she listened to him whisper things in her ear. She hardly understood any of it, but she didn't care, enjoying the soothing tone in his voice. Alice closed her eyes, settling her hand over his.

_**AN this is just so cute I want to die.**_

_**Please review, tell me what you thought and your opinions! Even now, they make me grin like a goofball.**_


	20. net te herhaal

_**AN oh my gosh it's been a month WATER YOU DOING WOMAN, WATER YOU DOING. I just...I have no excuses (again) OTL Yes, I was a lazy, lazy buttmunch and deserved to be punched in the face (BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN I SHOULD BE). LET'S JUST SAY THAT I'M RELUCTANT TO LET THIS STORY END OKAY? OKAY.**_

_**And unusual shout out to 'DYING' who was too lazy to log in and review like proper memberfolk: IT'S BECAUSE YOUR PAIN AMUSES ME THE END.  
><strong>_

_**And now for the rest of you! Thank you thank you thankyouthankyou for the support! I will never stop thanking you for all you've done for me. Unfourtunately, this must be said; I do not think I will be making another BloodxAlice story after this one, at least, not right away. Maybe it'll be like how I did with**_**prince&princess_ and _An Illusion Called Love_, where I wait a year and then write one (just noticed that, by the way. Almost an exact year between stories__. How crazy is that?), but don't expect anything for a while._**

**_OH MY GOSH WE'RE AT TWENTY CHAPTERS ALREADY.  
><em>**

The next few days were long for Alice. She was still confined to bed rest, but she was allowed short walks around the palace, which she supposed was something. Emily was continually at her side, probably to monitor Alice and make sure that she wasn't about to go into a relapse, but Alice simply enjoyed the company. Occasionally someone would come visit her, Elliot or Peter, or even once the library keeper, Julius. He had even given her a book, casually saying that it would help her pass the time. Alice had given him a large smile at this, truly touched by his gesture.

And, of course, there was Blood.

He never visited her during the day, instead choosing to slip in after dinner and spend the rest of the night with her. It was like all the other times he had come in to see her, book and candle in tow as he'd settled into the armchair by her bed. Now, however, he left the book and just talked with her. They'd sit on her bed, candle flickering on her nightstand as they discussed whatever popped into their heads. Alice always loved these conversations. They weren't that brilliant dance of wit she so often exchanged with him, and they didn't hold the edge of menace that always existed when they skated over the unsavory aspects of his job. Their conversations were instead quiet, private and honest. Nothing was hidden, nothing was skipped around, they just spoke.

It was never anything important, she noticed at one point, just small talk about favorite vacation places or fond memories. Alice noted with a pang that Blood didn't seem to have very many of these. She hoped that maybe she'd be able to change that.

Blood's eyes always looked so soft in the candlelight at night, deep and more wary of Alice as he truly opened himself to her. They shifted from the color of grass in summer to the color of pines on a foggy day, so beautiful that she could cry.

Sometimes, they didn't speak at all. Sometimes, Blood just held Alice as she remembered what she had gone through, the horror of sinking into madness and that final run through to the lake. At times, she could recall that state of mind, understand exactly why she'd been so excited, and at others she was absolutely terrified, clutching at his shirt but unable to say a thing. Blood didn't comment on her tears or her too fast breathing, merely stroked her hair. If she wanted to talk about it, then he'd talk, asking quiet questions that weren't too invasive to make her dissolve into an incoherent mess. His comfort was something she was eternally thankful for.

Eventually, Alice was deemed well enough to go back into society.

It was a small dinner, one to get her back into the swing of things. She noticed the edge of suspicion and unease amongst the guests, but Alice gave her best smile and made small talk like nothing had ever been wrong with her. Blood cast her sly glances just as he had done at the dinner with Gowland, letting her in on the joke of how ridiculous he thought everyone else. Even though it didn't seem like much, Alice felt that was infinitely more bolstering than a week of bed rest.

"You did well today," Blood said later that night, leaning against her foot board. He had removed his jacket and bow tie, vest hanging open. Alice smiled at him from her seat on the bed, unwinding her hair from the curls Emily had placed it in hours before.

"Did you expect me to start screaming and over turn my soup bowl?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"It certainly crossed my mind."

Alice made a face, tossing one of her hair pins at him. His smile was small when he leaned out of the way.

"...If I had done that, what would you have done?" she asked after a pause, voice soft as her brow creased in slight worry. The thought had crossed her mind, too.

Ever since Alice had been informed that she had been poisoned, and that had caused her to lose her _mind..._she had been very wary. At first she had refused to eat anything, and found it nearly impossible to sleep. With some help from Emily and Blood, though, Alice had been returned to rights. After that, things were better, but Alice was still scared that she might lose it at any moment. She hadn't been able to tel what was happening before, why would she be able to tell now?

Blood's eyes were on his hands, expression blank when he spoke.

"What would I have done about you, to you, or to rectify the situation in general?" he asked, sending a shiver down her spine. Alice may have loved him, but she could never deny that Blood was terrifying sometimes. Had he been the same person as he had been when they'd first met, or at least regarded her the same way, Alice had no doubt that he would have immediately locked her away somewhere, dumped her in some forsaken little place where no one knew her, and he could safely forget about her.

"Any," she breathed, and Blood gave a humorless laugh, more sigh than anything.

"I would have removed you from the situation immediately, and then dealt with the other courtiers. Have them shipped away, make them decide never to mention the event and the like."

"You wouldn't hurt them, would you?" she asked, and he smiled again, looking at her now. Blood moved over to sit on the edge of the bed, sighing through his nose.

"I don't believe so, Alice. Not unless they gave me reason to." She nodded, glad. People getting hurt wasn't a thing she especially liked.

"I'm not sure how you intend to manage in this country, Princess," Blood commented, earning a look from her. "Your heart is far too big for a wicked place like Artlind. You realize that at least two people a day are executed by the Queen, countless more are offed by the mafia and then you have those that die in the street? And yet you're fretting over what might have happened to people that couldn't care any less about you."

"Well, I can't really help the people who are being executed, the mafia is under _your_ jurisdiction, and I can't help those in the street, not yet anyways. You can't just help people because it directly benefits you, Blood." She looked into his face, wishing she could make him understand, but knew that it was probably a waste of effort. "Sometimes, you should just be kind to people because that's what you're supposed to do."

He made a face that clearly thought this sentiment was ridiculous, but was humoring her because she was sick and had gone through a lot. Alice laughed, leaning forward and placing a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Someday, Prince, you may begin to understand. But your wicked, wicked heart and your cold, cold mind will absolutely rebel and toss the notion out the window."

"The clear place for it," Blood said dryly, and she shook her head, a smile on her face.

They continued speaking for a while longer, but then Blood stood up.

"I can't stay with you tonight, Alice. I've got important matters to tend to tomorrow morning, and don't want to wake you."

"How considerate," she said in mock surprise. Blood promptly answered with an eye roll.

"_Hardly_. It's just that you can be _such_ a pain when you've just been woken up."

Alice made a noise of irritation and glared at him, which he ignored with a laugh. Blood leaned over to kiss her, pulling back after a moment.

"Alice," he whispered, "I truly am glad that you are better." In response, she merely smiled.

* * *

><p>Sometime later, Alice awoke. It was one of those strange times when she opened her eyes and felt completely alert, as if she hadn't slept in the first place. She didn't dwell on it, though, as something felt <em>off.<em> Alice kept still, waiting, watching. Had Blood just come into the room despite what he'd said earlier?

Someone shifted by her door, and immediately she felt her stomach drop, though she had no idea why. More alarmingly, another person moved only a few feet from her side.

"Hurry up!" they hissed, shuffling something in their hands. "Make sure they can't get through the door while I get the princess. We don't need the guards bursting in."

_No,_ Alice thought, taking a deep breath, _not again. I am **not** doing this again. _

With that thought, Alice loosed a scream.

The men in her room jumped, hissing curses and glancing at each other. Immediately the man beside Alice leaped at her, trying to make her be quiet. She pushed herself out of the bed, screaming "_Blood!"_ and trying to slip out of their reach. Outside of her room, Alice could hear people moving, guards maybe, but they were no use to her now.

The man beside her bed finally caught hold of her, shoving a rag into her mouth. Alice struggled against him, trying to wrench his hands away and spit out the rag, but he had grabbed her around the middle and hoisted Alice over his shoulder. She tried screaming past the rag, kicking and pounding on his chest as he carried her to the window. Horror filled her as she realized that this was it, in the span of only a few months, she was _yet again_ being kidnapped.

At this thought, Blood burst through the door separating their rooms. He was fully dressed, giving Alice the impression that he hadn't actually gone to bed as he'd said, but that thought was quickly shoved aside as he leveled a gun at one of her kidnappers. She gasped, nearly chocking on the rag and hid her eyes as she heard the bang and a scream let loose. They locked eyes over the man he had just shot, and Alice saw wrath of a fiery tempest in his eyes, but she wasn't the least bit scared of him. Alice merely begged him with her eyes to _save_ her, and to come find her should she be taken. Alice had nearly managed to get the rag out of her mouth and say all this to Blood when she was suddenly dropped out the window.

The fall was so abrupt she hardly had time to even consider screaming before landing heavily in yet another man's arms. He grunted when he caught her, buckling slightly in the tree where he was perched. Above in her bedroom, a commotion had started. Shouts filled the room and several more gunshots went off, and she guessed that the guards had finally forced their way into her room. Alice closed her eyes at this, the distant and half forgotten image of the maid Peter shot point blank springing back into her head.

By now, the man holding her had reached the ground and was trying to run away. She finally managed to get rid of the rag, sucking in another breath for a scream.

"Don't you _dare,_" he grunted, grip tightening. "One sound and I'll kill you and dump your body in that lake."

"I don't care!" she hissed, catching him off guard. "I'd rather _die_ than be taken again, anyways! And what's the point of killing me now?" she demanded, voice rising. "Why not kill me in my bed and be done with it?!"

"_Shut up!_" he snarled, pausing to ram yet another rag against her mouth and nose. Alice struggled, trying to free herself, but he clamped his hand down over her face, and she caught the scent of something thick and heavy, making her want to gag.

Despite her best efforts, the dim light from the stars and sparse torches from the palace began to fade, and Alice felt herself drop into a terrible darkness.

_**AN I. REGRET. NOTHING.**_


	21. beraz, zer da hau?

_**AN Okay, I truly, truly feel terribly sorry that I haven't updated in a month. I left you guys in such suspense, and I apologize. Good news though, this chapter's quite a bit longer than the last two or so. Always an upshot!**_

_**And thank you, thank you thank you THANK YOU for all the beautiful reviews you showered me with. Some of you apologized for giving me long reviews, but THEY ARE WHAT I LIVE FOR. You pose so many lovely, lovely questions and comments to me, and that in turn makes me think even more about the story. All of them made me (as usual) grin like a dork, and want to flail around and asdfjkl; (but clearly not make me want to write the new chapter any sooner OTL). Now go on and read the new chapter :)  
><strong>_

Alice came to just as she was dropped to the ground. She grunted when she landed, then groaned. Somewhere between her being drugged and waking up here (where ever that was) her hands and feet had been tied. There was also a more sturdy gag across her mouth, which she found highly irritating. She had had enough of having rags shoved in her mouth, though she supposed the kidnappers wouldn't really be doing their jobs correctly if she wasn't gagged.

She blinked when she realized how easily she recalled the fact, and how calm she was about it. It was merely a fact, she had been kidnapped. The anxiety in her chest was caused by whatever the kidnappers wanted to do with her now that she was in their possession.

The man that had been carrying her walked out of the room, slamming the door shut. She inspected the room quickly, not sure when he'd come back but praying she'd be a little better armed than she was now, even if it was with a tiny bit of knowledge.

From what she saw in the murk, the room she was in was essentially a cell. It was clean enough, and a tiny barred window was high out of reach, even if she had been standing. It also appeared to be totally empty, the only way in or out the door that had just been closed behind the man.

_Doubtless it's locked,_ Alice thought, breath coming faster and faster. She tore at the gag in her mouth, gasping in a breath when she managed to wrench it away. She paused a moment, head back against the wall while she breathed, thinking.

Alice was likely being used as a bargain chip against Blood, Vivaldi or even Peter. Someone was upset with them, and had decided she was the weakest link, the easiest to capture. Who was it, though? She ran through the list of people who hated the heads of Artlind that were powerful enough to orchestrate this.

_Linden? No, no, he'd certainly never allow me to be treated like this, the men he'd send would have me whisked away to some Underlen or Cherslan stronghold first chance. Plus he thinks I'm happy with Blood, he wouldn't try to rip me away from him._

Who was left, then? Her parents? No, they were even more duped than Linden. They had bought the lie that she had eloped with Blood, hook, line and sinker.

She wracked her brains, trying to think. Enemies of the mafia? Someone from Forris? A nobleman that wanted revenge on Vivaldi for having put a loved one to death?

Alice pulled the gag from around her neck, dropping it on the ground in front of her. She bit at the cords around her wrists, tugging at them and trying to pull free. After a few minutes of fruitless struggling, she gave up, frustrated and a little out of breath.

Outrage at her general situation welled up inside Alice, making her let out a wordless scream through gritted teeth and slam her bound hands on the ground. The jolt through her arm brought tears to her eyes, though they weren't entirely out of pain.

Why, why oh _why_ had she been kidnapped again? Most people weren't even kidnapped _once_, and yet here she was, going for a second helping. Only this time, she was convinced that things wouldn't end so well for her.

_You can only fall in love with your kidnapper so many times,_ she thought dismally, then felt mildly sick at the thought. That was hardly the light she needed to be painting herself in at the moment.

Alice glanced around her cell again, noting the freshness of the rushes strewn about her. Clearly this cell had been prepared specifically for her arrival, so she couldn't hope to find a stray nail or pin or anything else of use. She cursed her luck, then went back to trying to free her hands.

A few minutes later, Alice was rubbing her wrists and frantically trying to come up with an idea as to what she was supposed to do. She closed her eyes, trying to think, trying to be every bit as clever as Blood always said she was, but after a long while, she realized there was nothing _to_ do. Yet again she was completely victim to what her kidnappers had planned. All she could really hope to do was to sit there, wait, and be ready should some opportunity arise.

Eventually, Alice drifted to sleep, the lack of sleep and spiritual weariness causing her to drift to unconsciousness. She settled into a quiet, blissful dream where she and Blood were talking in her room by candlelight, saying useless, marvelously inconsequential things. He was sitting in his usual chair, looking so handsome as he watched her with those brilliant green eyes. He stood up, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

_"Just remember, Alice," he whispered, "I'll find you, no matter where you are."_

_"Promise?" she asked, and Alice could feel the smile in the air above her ear._

_"Always," he told her, pressing his hand against her cheek._

Alice was jerked from her dream as rough hands shoved her upright. She gasped, looking around blearily.

"Wake up," said a gruff man's voice. Alice stared, able to sense only the cold and darkness around her. That and the fact that another person was suddenly standing in the cell with her.

"What-what do you want from me?" she demanded, making her voice as harsh as possible.

"Oh, nothing too terribly important. Just a bit of time, which you can easily spare, no?"

A gasp choked Alice, and she glanced around, eyes adjusting somewhat. That voice had been familiar, though she was sure it had sounded infinitely kinder the last time they'd spoken. She tried to make herself place it, but the cold tone was making it difficult.

"Look at that, clever little girl, she managed to slip her bonds. You've probably already scoured the room for something to pick the door with, but I inspected the room before you were placed here. We can't have any mistakes here, not with something quite so important."

The man speaking walked closer, face emerging out of the murk. Her heart sunk when she saw who it was.

"But, you can understand that with a man like Blood as your husband, can't you Alice?" asked Gowland, giving her a heartless smile. She straightened, trying not to let the overwhelming shock reach her face.

_Gowland?_ _Gowland_ was behind all of this? But why, what could he possibly gain by kidnapping Alice? Was it because of his and Blood's continual disagreements? He had seemed like such a reasonable and kind person, though! Had it all been an act?

"Yes, that's right Alice, I planned this whole thing. Your kidnap was a little later than I had planned, but here we are in the end," he said, shrugging like he were speaking of delayed picnic plans. She glared at him, hating him more than she had ever hated anyone else.

"Why did you kidnap me?" she asked, voice steely enough to win the approval of a Dupre. "What on _earth_ could you benefit from holding me hostage?"

"So, so much, Alice. In fact I-"

"Don't call me that," she spat, making him pause. He raised his eyebrows, eyes surprised behind his spectacles. Despite what she had said before, he didn't have the right to call her anything so intimate, not when he had so cruelly tricked her.

"Very well, just as you wish. You see, I have been trying to find a way to derail our dear prince for quite a while now. But no matter _what_ I tried, it never seemed to work. Rebellions, vicious rumors about how he killed his dear father, undermining him in the mafia, _nothing_ worked. Until...he got you, that is."

Alice narrowed her eyes, not liking where this was going. So, _Gowland_ had been responsible for for all of Blood's political problems? Even though Alice knew that Blood had been and still was a ruthless and murderous person, a surge of anger wound its way through her stomach at all of the trouble Blood had been caused.

"You see, the prince didn't have any chinks in his armor. Being the clever, heartless man he is, he realized that affection wasn't something that would ever benefit him. But then he became a little too clever for his own good. He wanted to be king so badly that he allowed his own vital policy to be tested and then overlooked, little fool. I suppose that isn't fair, though. I _did_ have a hand in that."

"How?" Alice asked through gritted teeth. The more this man spoke, the more anger was mounting inside of her. She had been utterly duped by this marquis and his act of awkward repentance. Had she been a fool, or simply been too forgiving?

"Well, I painted him into a corner, to put it simply. By spreading the rumor that he killed his father, among countless other things, I made it absolutely impossible for him to try and murder his dear sister. If he did, then the people would openly revolt under such a cruel leader. So he had to find another solution, which was marriage. His marrying you made him powerful enough to overpower the queen, should it come down to it. Should, say, a coup come about."

"He was planning a coup?" she asked, breathless in horror. For the upper classes, especially royalty, the mere word 'coup' was enough to break into a cold sweat. Not only did it mean that they would probably end up dead, but also that there was a shattered country to lead should they make it out alive. Blood may have been crazy, but she didn't think he was _that_ crazy.

"Maybe. It'd be the ideal thing, or at least make it seem like a coup. Have certain disposable nobles be killed in their beds, incite riots among restless villagers, and then swoop in to comfort them in their time of need, yes, that's exactly what I would have done. Only he became sloppy, my dear princess. He let himself fall in love."

The words sounded wrong from his mouth, Alice thought bitterly, like a snake telling a child a bedtime story.

"How do you know he fell in love with me," Alice scoffed, surprising herself with how bitter she sounded. Gowland raised an eyebrow, not convinced, but she shook her head, smile harsh and unhappy. "You really think Blood would allow himself to care for someone that has caused him infinite amounts of trouble since the day they reached Heart Palace? Please, Marquis, you underestimate him."

"Is that so?" he asked, sounded amused, like he was just humoring her, playing along even though he knew the secret to her act. She prayed he wouldn't be able to call her bluff.

Alice let out a cold laugh, shaking her head.

"He's never cared. It's been mind games and manipulation, right from the beginning. I'd think that maybe, _maybe_ he had started to feel _something, _but then it was all a lie."

"You're sure?" Gowland asked, that same contemptible smile on his face as he folded his arms. Alice looked at him like he were the biggest fool she'd ever met.

"Do you know why he picked me, Marquis?" she asked, not waiting for his answer. "Blood picked me, of all the eligible, docile women in who knows how many countries, because of ease. Second princesses aren't very important to their country, not really. It'd be so much easier to steal one of those instead of a first princess, who has suitors and countries to take care of. And Underlen, ha, that place is a joke compared to Artlind's security and paranoia. They are _soooo_ naive when it comes to the world."

"Be as it may, Princess, that doesn't mean his opinion changed over time. Even after less than a day, I myself felt drawn to you. It's some easy, unassuming charisma you possess. You probably don't even realize it, but you are very easy to speak to, you have an openness about you that most people can't claim. And you are intelligent, witty and can keep up with the terrible moods of your husband. No wonder he began to feel swayed. But when he did that, he left open one major hole for me to extort. You see, he'll probably be on hand and knee to get you back. Selfish, possessive people have a habit of doing anything they can to get what's theirs' back, even if it means they have to beg."

"If he's so eager to get me back, who says he isn't storming the place right now?"

"A spy I have in place at the palace," Gowland said easily, making Alice's breath catch. _Another_ spy, right there under Bloods nose?

"He thought he caught her after that whole insanity scare, yes Princess, I know about that, too, but a bit of clever misdirection and bought affections steered him just far enough away to allow the spy to remain safe.

"Who is the spy?" she asked faintly mind barely able to work at this subterfuge. Gowland seemed oblivious or apathetic to her state, shrugging casually.

"A lady that frequents the palace. She has been at court for years now, and has managed to avoid the queen's vicious punishment system, and that was something I couldn't allow myself to pass up."

Alice's mind finally caught up with what he'd said, and a thrill of alarm went through her.

"You know about the...poisoning?" she asked, unable to bring herself to say the word 'insanity'. "Did the spy tell you?"

Gowland laughed, shaking his head.

"Did the spy tell me? Oh, my dear _princess_, I _orchestrated _it! The poison came from a flower grown only in the south, where do you think my estate is? And then that cup of tea I sent you after we had our wonderful little chat? Yes, that's right, there was a dose in there. You first started receiving the drug directly afer your return from Underlen, and when I visited I could see that things weren't going fast enough, your immune system was too strong. So, that lovely little cup was the first of the higher dose. Did you notice things go downhill after that?"

Alice shook her head, feeling like he had kicked her in the stomach. Hearing the quite satisfaction and glee in his voice made her want to puke, as it brought back the memories of her utter euphoria when she had finally gone mad. Alice closed her eyes for a second, sucking in a breath and trying to settle herself. She would listen to the rest of his tale, she wouldn't let a drop of information be wasted. She opened her eyes, waiting yet again for him to go on.

"Right from the beginning," Gowland said, a satisfied smile crossing his face at reliving it all, "when I heard that the prince was getting a new wife I knew I had to come up with some plan to ruin his image to the people. And when I saw how fond he was of you, despite whatever you say, I decided to go with something that would also break him. Actually, I am rather pleased with myself about the whole thing. Either way, he would be faced with the predicament of either shipping you away, killing you and writing it off as an accident or seeing you kill yourself from your delusions. Honestly, I have been waiting to use this little flower for quite a while, but people have always been too afraid of slipping it to the prince, plus I didn't know what effects there would be on a person who was already unbalanced. Then you came along, a perfect key from the heavens."

"Glad I could be of use," she spat, disgust so powerful in her chest she thought it would burn its way out. What Alice wanted to do at the moment was throw herself at Gowland and try to claw his eyes out, even though he doubtlessly had a weapon on his person. She instead snarled at him, something he seemed to find highly amusing. Gowland's smirk grew as he watched her, and she again marveled at how well he had tricked them all. Blood had clearly hated him, but she highly doubted he'd ever assumed the man had been so devious and twisted.

"Why, though?" Alice demanded, shaking her head. "Why would you do this? It can't be because of some petty grievance caused by your _name_."

Gowland's smirk soured a little, apparently his name truly was a touchy subject.

_What a vain man,_ scoffed the distant, impartial part of her as she waited for his answer.

"It's because I can't stand him. By all rights, I should have succeeded his father when the man died," Gowland said slowly, voice tight with bitterness. Alice stared at him, confused.

"Succeeded him? But you're not of the royal family, And Vivaldi's the one-"

"Not succeeded him on the _throne,_ stupid girl," he snarled, and Alice felt a rush of anger quelling her fear and shock. "Succeeded him in the _mafia_, that's the only thing that actually matters to this country. What does _Vivaldi_ have, really? Pretty dresses, a court of soulless wretches and the ability to execute people after a mountain of paperwork is pushed through. She's a figure head, she doesn't do a _thing_ for this country. It's all the Prime Minister and her brother's work."

"You...you're a part of the mafia?" she asked, a little incredulous. Things were started to make sense though, that was for sure.

"Of course. When the king was alive, I was his second hand man. I was one of the most powerful men in the _country,_ and I knew that if we just pushed a little, we'd get all we needed. But the old fool was content to sit around and let us be. What use was the mafia when the head was the king?, he reasoned. Why bother destroying towns and causing more complaints and strain on the higher classes? Finally, I decided things needed to change."

Alice's eyes widened as it clicked into place.

"The king..._you_ were the one to have him suddenly killed?!"

"Yes, Alice, I'm so pleased I didn't have to spell it out for you. Turned out he was _deathly_ allergic to shellfish. Who knows how it worked its way into his dinner one night? Of course I had the prince blamed, to further turn the people against him. I was rather hoping for a rebellion and the people to take care of him for me, but he managed to soothe them enough to keep them from raiding the palace and stringing him from a tower." Alice grimaced at the image, feeling vaguely sick. Rebellions were quite possibly worse that coups for the higher classes.

"After that, he never left any room for me to work my way in, blasted clever man. And then you came, and here we are."

Gowland smiled like he had just finished a wonderful bedtime story, and was awaiting her cheer of approval. Alice had to hold herself back from spitting on his shoes.

The door to her cell suddenly opened and Boris walked in. He glanced at her, a small disgruntled frown on his face before he turned to Gowland.

"Word just came back from Heart Palace. They suspect someone from the west, where the rebellions are happening," he said, and Gowland nodded. Alice scowled. Clearly Gowland had planned this well. She may have been somewhat isolated while at Heart Palace, but she knew that the west had been causing continual problems from various reasons, like the drought leading to robberies and the like. Of course Blood would instantly assume this whole plot from organized by some western noble, tired of the lack of action from Vivaldi or Peter. Even if he suspected something else, he wouldn't be so foolish as to not cover all the bases.

Alice suppressed a groan of utter frustration. By the time Blood managed to reach...where ever it was she was, she could very well be out of the country, in Forris or Cherslan. The moment the thought reached her, she felt her stomach sink. There was no doubt Gowland would take her to Cherslan, he would probably leave her corpse lying around to be found. The moment Blood found out, he would declare war on the country, on Linden. By that time, he and Lorina would probably already be married, so Underlen would be bound to join as well. But which son-in-law would her father choose to side himself with? The one that he _knew_ cared for his youngest daughter, and yet had her body show up in his country, or the one that had married her under suspicious circumstances but had done everything in his power to try and find her after her kidnap?

The war would tear her family apart, not to mention the countries they all ruled. The people would suffer, the crops would suffer, the economy would be ground into the dirt. And Gowland would have the perfect alibi to stab Blood in the back, quite literally.

Alice closed her eyes, wishing that there was _something_ she could do to avoid this horrific outcome. Could she escape without detection or serious injury? These weren't the people who would try to spare her any harm where possible... Did she really have a chance if she couldn't?

Gowland turned to leave, tossing a terrible smile over his shoulder.

"Rest easy, Princess. You have a few days before I need to kill you."

She swallowed as the door closed, then huddled in on herself. Alice pressed her forehead to her knees, trying to keep her breaths even as the tears started to drop from her cheeks. The truly terrible thing was that she didn't know what made her feel worse - having to spend the next few nights alone without Blood's comforting hand on her side when she went to sleep, or the fact that she was condemned to a possibly gruesome death should she not escape in time.

_Please, Blood,_ she found herself thinking desperately, body shaking from sobs and fear. _Please, whatever you do...  
><em>

_ Just find me._

_**AN YOU GUYS. ARE JUST TOO CLEVER. FOR YOUR OWN DAMN GOOD. Back in chapter sixteen, a bunch of you were guessing that Gowland had poisoned her, and while that wasn't true STRICTLY speaking, you were just too close for my liking! I was in this weird state of leading astray those of you who had guessed correctly, and yet nudging closer those that didn't guess it. **  
><em>

_**But Gowland was just this beautiful solution to all of my plot problems! I really had zero ideas about who had poisoned Alice, only that I knew I REALLY REALLY WANTED IT IN THERE. And then it just popped into my head one day, and off we went! I really liked painting him in a truly evil role, because it is unexpected, even if you don't like his character.  
><strong>_

_**SO. DARLINGS. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MUST DO NOW. DROWN ME IN REVIEWS TELLING ME WHAT YOU THINK. I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE ON TIME, SO ANY PROMISES I GIVE ABOUT TRYING TO UPDATE SOON WILL BE HONEST. I SWEAR.  
><strong>_


	22. itxion nire hiltzen eguna

**_AN OH. I guess I said I would absolutely without a doubt update really soon. That was a lie. An unintentional lie, but a lie nonetheless. I was also going to get this out yesterday, but then crapped out on me and so I had to wait until this morning. And, a little note that I totally DID NOT realize until looking back through the reviews - in the original Alice in Wonderland, Alice nearly drowned in the Pool of Tears. When she went crazy in my story, she nearly drowned in a lake :OOOOOO THE THINGS MY MIND COMES UP WITH WITHOUT ME REALIZINGGGGG.  
><em>**

**_PLEASE NOTE that this is the last chapter, though there will in fact be an epilogue.  
><em>**

As much as she hated to admit it, Alice could do nothing about her situation. She was bound in an inescapable dungeon, with guards posted outside at all hours of the day. Besides, she was up against a mastermind like Gowland. She was just some princess that was still recovering from the affects of a flower that had driven her _crazy,_ and dealing with a capricious husband. She knew how to talk and make nice and banter and the like, but not how to pick locks and overwhelm full grown men. That was left to the heroines of the books she enjoyed reading, not for practical use.

Alice thumped her head against the wall behind her, groaning somewhat. What could she do, what could she _do?_ Blood was undoubtedly searching for her, but with the way Gowland had set things up, there was no way he would guess to look...where ever it was that she was being held. Alice's guess was somewhere in the North, by Forris. Even though he had told her that his estate was in the opposite direction, Alice recalled that time she had lunch with him and how he had talked about originally coming from Forris. Also, it was much colder here than it had been over in the capital. At night, it was positively dreadful as Alice had to curl up tight to maintain at least a shred of body heat.

Two days had already passed since being brought here, two days full of long nothingness, dull meals and fruitless hours spent wondering what her next move was. Alice usually ended that by tugging on her hair, because again and again the same answer came back to her - _she had no moves to make_. Not if you didn't count just sitting there like a good little girl and waiting for Blood or someone to come rescue her, which she most certainly didn't.

She shivered, pulling in on herself. Alice had thought she'd known miserable when wrapped up in fine dresses and eating rich foods three times every day. Clearly that could never even be compared to what she felt now.

The door clacked and then opened, making Alice jump. She kept her eyes fixed on it, terrified and ready to sling every verbal assault she could think of at the person that walked through the door. Waiting in tense silence, Alice watched the person enter properly and close the door behind them.

It was Boris, his cat ears tipped down as if unhappy about something. Alice pursed her lips and looked lazily away, like she was some commanding princess in court and could dictate this poor man's life with a flick of her fingers. He shuffled there a moment, then cleared his throat.

"Ah-ah, Alice, Princess, I...brought you this," he said, and she slid her eyes back to him. He was holding out a blanket, looking a little uncertain. She appraised it, noting that it certainly looked thick and warm, and very comfortable when compared to the rushes and mere nightgown she had at her disposal.

"Mm, yes, because a blanket is going to make things _much_ better. _Thank_ you, Knight Airay. Quite considerate of you." Boris was about the only person that seemed to be remotely bothered by her kidnap. Alice figured that even if she couldn't work him into action, she could at least make his life hell every time he decided to walk into her cell, which he did surprisingly often.

_Must be a glutton for punishment,_ she sniffed to herself, jaw set.

"Princess, please, you've got to understand, I don't...want this. I'm not exactly happy that Gowland had you kidnapped to get back at Blood, I don't even dislike the prince all the way, but...they were orders."

Alice shook her head at him, absolutely incredulous. _Orders_ were what he cared about, not a person's safety and life, regardless of the fact that they were a woman and a princess and had never done a _thing_ to anyone?

_He's absolutely an Artlinder, through and through. No one else can be so calloused._

"No, don't look at me like that!" he said, and truly sounded upset. "Princess, I just...I'm trying to do the right thing, here. And you're not exactly making it easier."

"Boris, if you _really_ want to do the right thing," she said, hope budding in her chest despite herself as she leaned forward, "then set me free. Please, _please_, just open the door. You know Gowland's going to kill me as soon as I stop being helpful to him, so why not let me free? If you help me get back to the capital, I _swear,_ Blood will reward you!"

But he was shaking his head, giving Alice a feeling worse than a kick in the stomach. The hope inside her froze, turning brown and sagging against itself.

"I can't," he said weakly. "What about Gowland? He'll vanish before we even reach the capital, if he doesn't try to kidnap us both and then toss our corpses into a river first chance. Blood will never be able to find him and kill him if we escape, and killing him is the only way we'll ever be free of him."

"Boris..." Alice begged, tears pricking her eyes. Damn her incorrigible hope and good faith in people! One shred of remorse instantly meant they were good people to Alice, when that obviously was not the case any more. She clenched her teeth, trying to keep herself from breaking down entirely in front of this...this _coward._

Boris dropped his eyes from her, then bent over, setting the blanket on the ground in front of her.

"I'm doing my best to help," he said weakly. Alice scoffed, voice loud and brave with the hurt in her heart.

"Yes, a commendable waste of time. I'm going to be dead within the week, Boris!" she said, a little hysteric now. She could only escape death so many times, this time it had to be it, she couldn't hope for some fluke of an escape anymore. "What good are _blankets_ and extra bits of _food_ going to do me in a few days, nothing, that's what!"

She shook her head, utterly disgusted with him.

"And for a second, I thought you might actually be a decent person."

Boris stiffened, then said through gritted teeth "There are no _decent people_ any more, Princess. Not in this line of work."

He turned to leave, setting a hand on the door.

"I'm not going to touch it," she said loudly, not looking at either him or the blanket. She could tell that he didn't turn around, though, because his voice was still quiet and stiff.

"Fine. Be miserable and die here. I'll not be responsible for what you did not take advantage of."

The door closed, making a sound like a gavel declaring her sentence. Alice leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes as the tears slid down her cheeks.

_Great,_ she thought to herself, sounding hysteric and heart sore even inside her head. _My only ally tuns out to be a cruel coward, trying to ease his own bloody conscious before standing by for my execution. _

A thought crossed her, and a hopeless laugh crossed her lips.

_I'm sorry Blood. I wish I could have said something a little sweeter to you before being kidnapped._

* * *

><p>Alice didn't touch the blanket nearly all day. When the wind began to blow, however, she reluctantly changed her mind. She tried not to think about where the thing came from, then pulled it open.<p>

A dull thunk echoed in the cell, and she glanced at the floor, frowning in confusion. Her heart sprang into her throat, and she blinked, wondering if this was real.

A key sat on the floor in front of her. She reached for it with shaky hands, picking it up. The key was large an made of iron, heavy in on her palm. She flitted her eyes around the cell, wondering what it could be for when her eyes fell on the door. Alice slipped to it, hesitant before looking down at the lock. After a quick glance around the hall, she stuck her hand out and tested it, checking to see if it fit.

The key slipped in without a hitch.

Alice looked back into the cell, noticing a scrap of paper near where the key had been. She pulled both hand and key back into the cell, then hurried to it. Perhaps Boris had done a little more for her than she had originally thought.

She opened the paper, key still in hand. Alice was afraid to put it down in case it disappeared and this all turned out to be some cruel dream. A gasp had nearly ripped its way free of her before Alice slapped her hand to her mouth, paper dropping to the floor.

_Wait until the seventh ring,_ the paper said, which was unremarkable in and of itself, but it was written in _Blood's hand._ Boris had been in contact with Blood, and helped orchestrate this rescue attempt. Alice shook her head, shock making it difficult for her to think. He was coming for her, or at least, doing his very best to help her get away from this nightmarish place.

Her heart sped up at the thought of emancipation, finally being able to _escape._ Alice checked the barred window, nodding to herself when she saw it was nearly sunset, the sky turning a surly blue. She would only have to wait a little longer, one hour, maybe two. Alice bit her cheek, then stuffed the paper up her sleeve, and sat on the key. Anyone could walk in on her, and she didn't want to be rumbled almost before even getting a chance.

A while later someone's footsteps echoed throughout the hall. Holding her breath, Alice waited, hoping for Boris again. She squeezed her eyes shut as the door opened, sighing when the person spoke.

"What are you doing?" Boris sounded hesitant as she opened her eyes. He was holding a tray, presumably with her next meal on it.

"Praying," she lied easily, a tight smile on her face.

"Well, I don't know if that's going to do you any good... I see you did end up taking the blanket, then," he said, voice still a little cold. Alice bit her cheek, and shrugged.

"It became a bit colder than I expected in here."

"Yeah, it does that here." Boris walked over to her, setting the tray down. Alice a quick eye over it, giving herself a small nod as she saw the bowl of thin soup, a small piece of bread and water.

"Thank you," she said after a moment, unsure how to proceed. "I shouldn't have spoken so cruelly to you earlier."

Boris gave a dark laugh, shaking his head.

"Figure out that I'm directly responsible for how long you live, then?" he asked, and Alice pressed her lips together. The way he was speaking was different from before, making her think that perhaps there was someone outside, listening on their conversation.

"I suppose, though I'm not sure how long it will buy me," Alice sighed. Boris raised an eyebrow, then quickly mimed writing something on his palm. She gave him a tiny nod, and he flashed a small grin at her, before winking.

"Make sure you eat. Gowland said he would come in later to speak with you further. Don't want your stomach echoing off the walls. That'd be awfully distracting, I'd think." Alice gave him a weak smile, thinking that he was playing a very dangerous game, giving her messages like this. The key and note had been risky enough, but then giving her tips on how to _escape_, quite possible in front of another one of Gowland's men...it all made Alice feel a large rush of warmth to Boris, for everything he'd done for her.

"Here, you might want this back," she said, pulling the bowl off the tray. He bent back towards her, close enough for her to whisper "Thank you, for _everything._" His sensitive cat's ears twitched, and the memory of a smile was on his lips as he took the tray from her. Boris gave her another nod, then walked out of the cell.

* * *

><p>Alice sat waiting in the dark, counting her heart beats until the bells rang again. She had guessed that Blood's note had meant she had to wait until seven, when the bells rang out seven times. She had idly noticed the passing of time before the note had come, now each ring of the hour, and then half our made her heart sing. Each time she he heard a bell, Alice couldn't help but think '<em>That's it, one more half hour until I see Blood again<em>.'

Half past six had sounded not too long ago, and now she was sitting tense, ready to spring into action. A part of her was also praying that it would come even soon because Boris' warning bounced around her head. He had told her that Gowland would be coming later, but when? She every sound, every whisper of a leaf outside or a mouse skittering down the hall made her jump, sick at the thought that he was just outside. She would never be able to get out if he was there, there was no question.

Alice chewed on her lip, waiting, waiting, waiting. To distract herself, she pulled the blanket from around her and tied it into a form of sash. It was an interesting activity, as she had to tie it so it wouldn't come loose while she was running, but would slip off easily enough should she need to use it for some reason. Of course, she couldn't think what good a _blanket_ would do, but leaving it seemed like a hideous waste. And, with the way her luck always seemed to turn out, Alice would need it at the most crucial moment, should she leave it behind.

Alice sighed, pushing around the rushes by her feet with one of her toes. When would that blasted bell _ring?_ How would she find her way out, or find Blood? What if she was caught by one of Gowland's men? What if she tripped and fell?

She clenched her teeth, the thought bringing a dark thought to her. She didn't want to act on it, because it was frightfully improper and embarrassing, but it _was_ certainly practical...

Alice's fingers searched the hem of her night gown, which was dirty and a little tattered at the ends. She found a hole near her knee, and she leaned down, pulling at the fabric with her teeth. The gown tore easily, and she removed the bottom foot or so within moments. After another moment of consideration, Alice tore a small slit up her thigh, to allow her to run more easily.

_Hopefully you won't see Gowland's men long enough for them to comment on what you're wearing,_ she tried consoling herself, but the thought was laced with dark humor.

She froze when she heard the hollow clanging of the bells, not far away from her. Alice closed her eyes, counting, even though she knew exactly how many she'd hear.

_One, two, three..._

Her hand slipped beneath her, fingers wrapping around the key.

_...four, five..._

Alice eased to her feet, hand resting against the wall for support.

_...six..._

This was it. Did she dare go open that door, dare think that this was all a trap?

_...seven. Time to go._

Hurrying to the door, Alice checked the hall outside. No one was there, and she slipped her hand out, working the key into the lock. For half a second she worried that maybe it wouldn't actually work, that this was the key to something else, but then there was a soft click, and the door gave just a little bit. Releasing a breath of relief, Alice pushed the door out ever so slightly, praying it wouldn't squeak. There was a soft moan from the joints, but was quiet other than that.

Alice stepped out, feeling a shocking sense of liberation even though she'd been in the cell for just a few days. She pulled the key from the lock, thinking it might serve as some sort of weapon or distraction should someone come up to her. A quick glance down either side of the hall later, Alice set off down the left side of the hall. She prayed that she wasn't about to run head long into a room full of guards, but at the back of her mind, Alice had the feeling that the guards were a little tied up at the moment. There was no way Blood would tell her to escape if he didn't have an entire plan ready to be set into action.

Alice found herself going faster and faster until she was practically running down the hall, thankful that she had torn her nightgown to allow for freer movement. Adrenaline was slipping through her body already, making the knuckles on the hand holding the key go white.

She came to an intersection, and slid into an uneasy halt. Vague sounds of..._battle_ came from the left side of the corridor, Alice thought. The sharp sound of a gun going off made her start and take the right side, eager to get away from the fight.

So Blood really did have a plan set into action. He had stormed the manor, or where ever it was that she was being held, all to get her back. A small thrill of joy went through Alice's chest at the thought that he could be here in the building, just a floor or two away.

A long flight of steps met her, and Alice took them two at a time, eager to get out of the dank dungeon she had been trapped in. By the time she reached the landing, her legs burned. A quick flick of the eyes showed her that she had even more stairs to take, but she didn't let herself feel irritation. Up meant out, and that was the only thing she wanted to think about now. Once she reached the adjoining hall, however, she felt a little differently.

Alice ran to a window, peering out excitedly. A brief flicker of disappointment burned in her, before her practicality smothered it. She was too high up, at least a story or so. The stairs had no exit on the first floor, and now she was on at least the second floor, if not the third. She hesitated for a moment, chewing on her cheek, then starting to move again. Blood was waiting for her, she told herself, over and over. She couldn't make him wait.

Alice took turns based on instinct, trying to find a staircase. The feeling that she needed to get out as soon as possible kept creeping up through her stomach, making her breath come even faster. The dull thumps of her feet on the carpeted floors made her think that someone was going to hear her and try to force her back to her cell, making Alice speed up. Sounds of more fights were breaking out all over, along with the continual sound of gunfire and breaking windows. Shouts were bleeding out as well, making her nervous. Hopefully Blood's men would be able to discern the screams of a woman amidst all this chaos, should it come down to it.

An acrid smell met Alice's nose, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Fire, someone had set fire to the building, or at least knocked over a candle or something. Images of her being trapped inside a burning building sprang into mind, making Alice whimper in spite of herself. She just needed to find a staircase, a staircase, from what she'd seen, she was just three stories up. Only two more to go, two more, two-there!

Alice nearly broke into a great cheer when she saw the blessed railing of a set of stairs, which immediately turned into a muffled shriek of horror. Flames were licked up the wooden steps, reaching for her. She skirted it, praying that there was another way down.

A man's shout made Alice skitter to a halt, scared of being seen. She had been doing good so far, not a soul had seen her, but now a man blundered out of the room ahead of her. His eyes widened in shock and he had just barely gotten out the first words of some exclamation when a loud bang went through the air, and he fell forward, dead. Alice gasped in horror, hands leaping to her mouth. Tentatively she looked inside when no one came out, and saw a man spread across the ground. He wore an outfit that reminded her of the Heart Palace uniform for some reason, and Alice rushed to his side.

"O-oh my goodness, are you alright?" she asked, hysteria at having escaped and seen a man be shot before her eyes making her want to babble.

"P-princess?" he asked, then coughed. Red speckled his lips and teeth, and Alice grabbed his hand.

"Yes, yes, I'm the princess, I'm Princess Alice!" she said, tears springing to her eyes because she was so _relieved_ to see this man, to let Blood's man know that she was here. "Where's Blood?"

"He's...he's down...below," he wheezed, and Alice realized that there was something terrible amiss about him. Red was seeping across the dark carpet beneath them, even reaching so far as to stain her knees. Alice jerked back when this registered, sickened at the thought of kneeling in a man's blood. "He's looking for you, Princess...the Prince is..."

"I know, I know, come on, we need to go," she said, because that seemed to be the only thing she _could_ say. "Come on, sit up, we can go...we can go find him!"

The man grinned and shook his head. Panic leaped into her chest, because she wasn't ready, she wasn't ready to see anyone die, much less this man that had given up his own life to rescue her. Alice ran a hand over his forehead, wiping hair back from his lovely hazel eyes.

"You go, Princess. I don't...I don't have long."

"No, no, I can't leave you!" Alice told him, voice becoming shrill. She glanced back behind her, the sound of the fire growing. "The fire is - the fire will be here before you - before you're gone!"

"Doesn't matter," he grunted, shaking his head. "Did my job, I'm done."

"_I can't leave you to die like that!_" Alice screamed at him, so upset that this man, this stupid man that she had just met was leaving himself to be burned alive because he refused to get up and walk with her. She wanted to pound on the floor, to express just how unfair the world was being in this moment. The man laughed, shaking his head.

"The Prince told me how...sentimental you were," he rasped, "but I never thought it'd be...like this. You don't...even know my name."

"What _is_ your name?" she demanded desperately, but he just shook his head, grunting "Go, get outta here."

Alice stared at him for a moment, so upset she could pull her hair out, but unable to do anything more. The man was going to do die regardless, and she couldn't waste any more time.

She forced herself to her feet, cursing just how much she cared about people and their well being. Tears were already streaking her face as she took off down the hall, skipping down a small set of stairs to another landing.

The fire had spread by now, seeping down the halls and cutting off any potential exits. It also climbed into her lungs and scratched at her eyes, making it impossible to run properly for coughing and being unable to see. At one point, Alice was forced to leap over a patch of flames to reach a stair case, as the inferno behind her was far worse than the thin strip of fire. By now, stealth had been tossed out the window as the sounds of raucous fighting echoed throughout the building, gun shots, the clang of swords and the like bouncing around the halls. Alice ran full out, calling for Blood in hopes he would step out of a room and find her.

A door banged open to her right, making Alice jump and stifle a scream. To her amazement, it was Boris fighting one of Gowland's men. He had a long scratch along his cheek, though the other man had a broken nose. Boris's eyes widened when he caught sight of her, worry flitting across his face as the man attacked with a sword. Boris caught the blow on a brace, grimacing at the impact.

"Go, Alice, _run!_" he shouted, keeping his eyes on his opponent. "I'll try to hold him off, just _get out of here!_"

Alice's feet skittered, unsure whether she wanted to bolt or stick around to watch. The doors in the room beyond the two banged open as more assailants came in, shouting and waving weapons Alice couldn't identify. The man attacking Boris snarled at him, hissing "_You traitor!_" before making another swipe. Boris ducked under the blow, pulled out his gun and let off a shot. Alice began running when the man's body hit the floor.

Her feet took her all over the second story, though she didn't encounter any more people (though whether this was a good or bad thing, Alice couldn't quite tell). After circling the second story twice without finding a way out, Alice resigned herself to her last form of escape. She hurried to one of the bedrooms, trying to ignore the bullet holes and splatter of blood on the walls. Alice pushed open the large window, leaning out and allowing her a quick moment of enjoyment at the clean air. Men were running around below, though Alice couldn't really tell what they were doing or who they were in the unpredictable light from the burning building. One figure though, was clad in a white overcoat, tall and wonderfully familiar.

_Blood._

Alice tried to call out to him, but the roar of the fire around her and her lack of breath made her inaudible. For a terrible moment, he began walking away, drawn by someone else's shouts, making Alice's heart freeze. She dragged in a breath, then shouted his name, desperation and fear making her voice loud enough to be heard. Blood froze, then turned around to scan the building. Alice waved, terrified he wouldn't see her from the distance, terrified he would dismiss it and leave her alone to be burned alive.

Another wave of smoke came from behind her, and Alice spared a moment to glance behind her, shifting uneasily at the sight of the fire behind her. No way of leaving that room now.

_"Alice!_"

The shout made her whip her head around, heart leaping into her throat. Blood had _seen _her, he had seen her and was now running towards her window. For a moment, Alice thought she might start sobbing from joy, but the seriousness of the situation kept her together. Alice did break into a ridiculously large grin, though, because now she was sure she would be save, so long as she avoided being trapped by the fire behind her.

"Blood, Blood, I'm here!" she called back, reaching for him even though he was over a story away.

"Can you jump down?" he asked, scanning the building face. Alice glanced down, then shook her head. There were admittedly some bushes to the left that would help break her fall, but that was a bit of a risk she didn't exactly want to take.

"I can make a rope, hold on!" Alice ducked back into the room and roughly pulled the blankets off, Blood's call of "_Hurry!_" in her ears.

Terrible ghostly memories of tying blankets into rope days before reverberated in her head and hands, though now she couldn't waste time being insane and take a few minutes to be impressed over the patterns in the embroidery. She kept glancing at the doorway, wary of someone coming across her or the fire consuming the room before she was ready. As it was, the excessive smoke and heat made her hands slip, and Alice kept wiping at her face to keep the sweat and watering eyes at bay.

Finally, Alice had created a long enough rope to allow her to ease down far enough to jump. She tied the makeshift rope to the bed post, flinging it out of the window. Alice glanced out at Blood, flashing him a quick reassuring smile before easing out of the room. Her arms shook as she slowly lowered herself down, until she ran out of rope entirely.

"Drop, I'll catch you!" Blood said, voice tense. A moment of hesitation passed in which Alice debated actually letting go, but this was Blood. He had risked _everything_ for her, Alice knew he would catch her.

Alice forced herself to open her hands, and a terrible moment went by in which she could feel her stomach try to force its way out of her body, and she couldn't feel anything but the air rushing around her. Then, years and heart beats later, she slammed into Blood's arms. The air was knocked out of her as he grunted, knees buckling at the impact but staying upright. As she looked into his bright green eyes, Alice began crying, great gasping sobs that she would never be able to suppress, even if she wanted to. She was just so _thankful_ that Blood was here, that she was alive, that she had avoided whatever twisted and cruel punishments that Gowland could have concocted for reasons varying from his own amusement to getting information.

"It's alright, it's okay," Blood murmured into her ear, holding her even tighter and reaching up to stroke her hair. She pressed herself into him, never wanting to be pulled away from him ever again.

"Blood, Blood, I was so sc-sc-_scared_," she found herself gasping, "I thought I'd - thought I'd never see you again, even though I t-t-told myself that you'd come!"

He laughed, turning away from the manor to a carriage a ways away. It wasn't a cruel laugh, but a soft, easy laugh, one she heard most often at night when they sat up talking by candle light.

"Darling, you've _got_ to know that I will always find you," he told her, and Alice broke into another smile.

"I know," she managed, the tears easing somewhat, "but I-I was so _scared, _Gowland, Gowland was behind it all, he had me kidnapped. Blood, he was so _d-different_ from what I thought, he had it all planned from the beginning!"

"Yes, somehow I'm not surprised by that," Blood admitted, voice sounding flat and bitter. "For a while now, I've been suspecting something from him, I just never expected it to be so..._ill thought out."_

Blood stopped by the carriage, but didn't let her down. Alice was thankful, because all she really wanted at the moment was to be _held_ by him, to make up for all the time apart. She glanced at the man stationed atop of the carriage, who keep his eyes tactfully forwards. Apparently he was there in case Blood needed to make a speedy getaway.

"Before you even considered marrying me, he was plotting to overthrow you!" Alice told him, eyes wide. "He had the old king murdered just to kick dirt on your name, and he told me that he kept inciting rebellions to turn the people against you."

Blood didn't say anything to this, but Alice felt his grip on her tighten ever so slightly at this revelation. She watched his face closely, searching for the least little hint towards his thoughts, but Blood's face was as blank as ever. Alice wiped her face, falling silent for a moment before she remembered something.

"When did you start working with Boris? He saved me, first helped me out of the cell, then took on some of Gowland's men to allow me time to escape," she said, making a dark smile spread across Blood's lips.

"Knight Airay was kind enough to contact us just after you were kidnapped. At first I wasn't sure, but he convinced me in the end. Apparently he was tired to Gowland's tricks and wanted something 'a little bit more decent', as he put it."

Alice knew what Boris had meant. While both men were murderous and underhanded, Blood at least had some honor and decency, while Gowland had none.

"After that, he gave me detailed information on where you were being held and what Gowland planned. Several of my own spies reaffirmed what he said, so I figured that I might as well storm the manor he indicated."

"I'm so glad you did," Alice sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

"Mm, yes, well, my storming the place nearly resulted in you being burned alive," he told her darkly, making Alice frown. "Some idiot decided to set the place alight, despite my orders. Coincidentally, he ended up being trapped there."

Blood seemed to notice the tense, stony silence from Alice and grinned blackly.

"No, Princess, I didn't lock him in there. Though, the same can't be said for our dear Marquis Gowland..." Alice chewed on her cheek at this, feeling a spike of vindictive satisfaction go through her chest at almost the same time a surge of horror did. Reluctantly, she decided that, despite it being a terrible death, he probably deserved every bit of it.

"I never expected it to be over so quickly," she admitted. "Today's been a blur, honestly. A few seconds ago, I was still sitting in my cell."

"It's been the opposite for me," Blood told her. "Every second dragged on, because I wasn't sure if you were dead or not."

"I think Gowland was going to do it just as you attacked," Alice said slowly. "Boris warned me in case I needed to escape early."

"It seems," Blood began, voice cautious, "that this knight has done a lot more for me than I realized." Alice nodded in agreement, thinking that she could be merely a corpse had he not stepped in.

Silence stretched between them for a moment, then Blood tilted his head, tone different from before.

"Now that we have all of those introductory questions out of the way, the most important must be asked. What on earth happened to your nightgown?"

Alice looked from Blood to the scandalously short hem of her gown, then burst into laughter.

"I tore it so I could run faster," she explained, having quite forgotten what she had done.

"Oh, good," he sighed, giving a mock look of relief. "Not that I mind, of course, but one has to worry when their wife's clothes have been mutilated while held hostage." She rolled her eyes at his words, and wiggled out of his arms.

"Please, Blood. By now, you've got to know that I would claw Gowland's eyes out before I ever let him touch me."

"You have no idea how pleased that makes me," he joked, though Alice felt like there was a shred of truth behind his words.

A man approached Blood, bowing when he came close enough.

"All of the Marquis' men have been subdued, sir. What shall we do with them?"

"Hold them until I decide," Blood said easily, tearing his eyes away from Alice. "Except for the knight Airay. He was the spy that let this all happen. I think he deserves something a little more personalized for his efforts."

"Of course, sir. I'll see to it immediately." The man bowed and turned on his heel, returning to the group by the burning manor. Alice frowned, wondering what was awaiting Boris. She had the feeling that it wasn't something terrible, after all, Blood repaid good deeds done to him, but at the same time he had waited until _after_ Alice had been kidnapped to act.

"Now, Alice," Blood said, turning to her with a small smile on his face, "what do you say we return home?" He opened the carriage door, gesturing for her to step in. The smile Alice gave him was the largest yet.

"Yes, Blood, I think I'd like that very much."

_**AN **_Finally, thank you thank you thank you thank you to every single person that reviewed, read, alerted, faved and the like for this story! I am immensely flattered it has received so much attention, especially because this story was kind of like a 'WELP I'VE GOT FEELS AND NEED FOR FANTASY KINGDOMS WHOOOOOO HERE WE GO.' I love every single comment you guys have for it, and reading your reactions and suspicions were truly wonderful. I know I say something like this nearly every chapter, but it is the solemn truth! This story would never have been so long, detailed or thought out had it not been for you :)_****_

_**Review to tell me your last few impressions of the story before it's over :)  
><strong>_


	23. and so we say goodnight

**_AN HERE IT IS. I am kind of speechless, because I'm just FEELING, but not WORDING, which is kind of a problem when you're writing a story XD This is...the absolute end of the story, something I really never imagined I'd see when I set out writing the first, angsty, woe is me chapter. There won't be an author's note at the bottom, because I want to end it on a completely final, story-y end, so everything's going to be said up here._**

**_First, and this is a random note but one I've been thinking for a while; It's always kind of awkward for me to talk about Blood and Alice's marriage, especially when I consider how he forced her into it, because I can never forget how this story is just one giant campaign for Stockholm Syndrome and falling in love with murderous lunatics OTL Other than that, I'm pretty pleased with this story, for a number of reasons, but mostly because I have completely developed my own world and hinted at the different cultures, which is an incredible undertaking. And here's a few things that I never mentioned in the story/previous ANs._**

**_The names of the countries are all inspired by the original/variations on Alice in Wonderland. Artlind is a play off of 'Heartland', which is why I gave it the nickname 'Heart Country' back in chapter four. Underlen is a play off of Tim Burton's 'Underland'. Cheslan was inspired by 'cheshire cat', and Forris was inspired by the word 'forest', and is my nicer version of the Tugley Forrest. And the reason the characters maintained their animal ears is because it is a recessive genetic defect, and not specific to Artlind, as Peter comes from Artlind, Elliot Cherslan and Boris from a country to the west that I have no name for. If you have any other questions about the story, or any that aren't answered in the epilogue, make sure you ask! I hate to leave you hanging :)_**

**_Now, go on and enjoy the end of _****prince&princess.**

The candlelight was a gentle wash over Blood's skin in the darkness of Alice's room. She always liked looking at him in the candlelight, because his sharp, beautiful features were always softened. Plus, it reaffirmed the idea that this was a side of Blood only she knew, fueling a rather selfish sense of satisfaction she would never let anyone know about.

He ran his fingers over the back of her hand, a gentle smile on his face.

It was several days after her rescue, but Alice felt like she was just getting her feet back under her. For the first day or so, she was completely exhausted and remained curled up in bed, except to sit up and eat. Emily had been the embodiment of tender care, staying at Alice's side and catering to her every need. During this time, Alice heard the story of what had happened once she had been taken.

Apparently Blood had managed to capture one of the kidnappers and interrogated him for the rest of the night as to who ordered the kidnap, what the motive was, and where she had been taken. Emily largely passed over the details of _how_ he did this, but Alice had a feeling it involving a dungeon, knives and a number of nasty and entirely effective tortures.

In the end, he managed only to get a name from the man, Gowland. After that, an expansive search and been ordered, scouring the country. Blood had truly had no idea as to where Alice had been taken, which had frustrated him to no end. The fact was, Gowland was every bit as clever as Blood, and probably had a myriad of hiding places for Alice. The real question, though, was what held Blood up. Did Gowland hide Alice where Blood would expect, where Gowland expected Blood to expect, or the place Blood thought so obvious that it would be the absolute last place for him to look? In Alice's opinion, Blood's real problem was that he thought too blasted much. He could imagine himself in Gowland's shoes flawlessly, but Gowland could do the same for Blood, so in Blood's case he'd be envisioning himself in Gowland's mind who was envisioning himself in Blood's mind and on and on until it something exploded. There would have been no way for him to have found Alice in time, had Boris not stepped in.

Apparently, he had contacted Blood shortly after Alice's kidnap, utterly sickened by Gowland's terrible intentions. Boris was not a member of the mafia, merely employed by Gowland. He reluctantly had gone along with the man's previous plans because of his incredible loyalty and a debt that he had regrettably fallen into, but this had been the last straw. Boris had contacted Blood in person, providing the information for Blood's spies to confirm his words. Initially, from what Alice had heard and surmised about the situation, he had dismissed Boris and probably planned to have him killed, but either Blood's desperation or Boris's sincerity was convincing enough to earn him a proper hearing. After that, it was simply a matter of gathering men for the raid.

Now, with Gowland dead and both Blood and Alice's good favor, Boris had come into the employ of the Dupre family. He was loyal and had a keen sense of good judgement, which was something Alice though Artlind's royalty could use a little more of. From what she'd heard, Boris was being settled somewhere within the capital, and given an amount of land out in the countryside. Blood may be a capricious person to deal with, but once you did him a noticeable good turn, he certainly rewarded lavishly.

"Are you happy to be back?" Blood asked softly, just about the first allusion to her kidnap since she had been returned to the palace. Alice tilted her head, frowning a little. For some reason, she had a feeling he wasn't just speaking of being back to safety.

"Yes, yes, it's...nice to be home again. It seems surreal at times, though, because I think...no, that can't have happened to me, that was just some story, some adventure that I can put down when I grow tired of it, but...that was real. Kind of a crash course for what life might be like, married to the head of the mafia, I suppose."

"No," Blood said, voice suddenly harsh. He looked up at Alice, eye dark and serious and even a bit scared. "This is never going to happen again, I could never...don't worry about it, Alice."

She nodded, then broke into a smile.

"Well, that's a relief. A bit less I have to hide from my family, then."

Blood scoffed at the idea of Alice informing her family that she had been kidnapped by a vengeful and sadistic lunatic, then shook his head.

"I think telling them would just about give out dear Linden license to come down here and run me through."

"Mm, yes. I really rather not think about that," Alice said, running a hand through her hair. Even though the crisis had been averted, she was still incredibly thankful that a war between Cherslan and Artlind had been avoided. Linden would have launched into action and accusations at Blood, and demanded that Underlen side with him, while Blood would more subtly recruit the larger country's power and faith. The thought of her family turning on itself was horrifying, on she hated thinking about.

She shifted her legs out from under her and allowing the blood to continue flowing properly. She and Blood were perched on her bed, her up against the pillows and him sitting in the middle, a few inches between them. The candle flickered lightly, making the shadows jump around her room.

"I don't really think we have to worry about them anymore," Blood said absently, making Alice smile. "They've accepted our marriage, and even though Linden doesn't trust it, he doesn't have any reason to believe that I forced you into it..."

Alice tipped her head backing, quietly thinking to herself that a few months ago, she would have hotly told him that that was _exactly_ what he had done. Now, though, no matter how terrible it was to acknowledge, she didn't truly mind. Blood, despite all of his faults, truly loved her, and wanted to see the best for her. And she knew that, had she truly not wanted to be there, could have made his life a whole lot harder, not to mention could have tried escaping at least once or twice to make the point across.

She caught Blood's eye, and he smiled at her, a smile that said he was completely happy she was there. Alice gave a tentative smile back, one that said that she was, too.

"I love you, Alice," he whispered, leaning to kiss her on the corner of the mouth. Alice felt tears form in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, laughing lightly because she didn't even know why she was crying when she herself was happy.

"I love you, too, Blood. I love you so much, and I'm so happy I met you," she laughed in his ear and holding him tight.

It was amazing, Alice thought to herself, just how much you could mean in a few little words.


End file.
